§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list(a) the number of people convicted of joyriding over the last five years, (b) the number of cars stolen, (c) the clear-up rate, (d) the range of sentences imposed and (e) the bail rules for this offence; and what assessment he has made of the value of custodial sentences in respect of this offence. [12175]
§ Sir John WheelerInformation for 1991 to 1995 in relation to the offence of taking a vehicle without the owner's consent is given in the following tables.
In Northern Ireland, statutory criteria for the granting of bail apply only in relation to offences which are scheduled under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1996. Decisions on the granting of bail for the offence of taking a vehicle without the owner's consent are the responsibility of the court and are based on common law precedents.
The sentence imposed for taking a vehicle without the owner's consent is a matter for the discretion of the court, taking into account the circumstances of individual cases. Custodial sentences are imposed when the court is of the opinion that the serious nature of the case and the need to protect the public require such a sentence. The Government are currently conducting research into the effectiveness of different court disposals which will enable an assessment to be made of their value.
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Table A: Court convictions for "taking a motor vehicle without the owner's consent or other authority", under Article 172 of the Road Traffic (NI) Order 1981 Year Total number of convictions 1991 396 1992 443 1993 444 1994 449 1995 530
Table C: Sentences imposed for "taking a motor vehicle without the owner's consent or other authority" 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 Immediate imprisonment 66 123 133 128 136 Suspended imprisonment 55 81 89 73 98 Training school order 27 17 13 24 17 Community supervision 113 93 94 100 113 Fine 98 105 92 95 103 Discharges 37 23 23 29 61 Other 0 1 0 0 2