§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for each year since 1975 the number of persons accused of terrorist crimes who have been tried in Northern Ireland Courts under the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975, specifying so far as the information is readily available to the offence alleged, where it was committed and the outcome of the trial. [46742]
The Attorney-GeneralI have been asked to reply.
608W
Table 2—Additional information in respect of persons tried in Northern Ireland for extra-territorial offences under the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 during the period 1990–1997 Year of trial Number of Persons tried Principal offence Where offfence was committed Sentence imposed 1990 1 Counselling and procuring an explosion, contrary to section 2 of the Explosive Substances Act 1883 and section 6(2)(a) of the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 1RoI 16 years' imprisonment 1991 1 Possession of ammunition with intent, contrary to Article 17 of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 and section 1 of the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 RoI 7 years' imprisonment 1992 1 Conspiracy to Murder, contrary to Article 9(1) of the Criminal Attempts and Conspiracy (Northern Ireland) Order 1983 and section 6(2)(b) and (3) of the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 2NI 15 years' imprisonment 1993 1 Counselling and procuring murder, contrary to section 6(2)(a) and (3) of the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 RoI 3— 1994 3 Armed robbery, contrary to section 8 of the Theft Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 and section 1 of the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 RoI 4— 1995 1 Possession of a firearm with intent, contrary to Article 17 of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 and section 1 of the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 RoI 8 years' imprisonment 1996 1 Possession of explosives contrary to section 3(1)(b) of the Explosive Substances Act 1883 and section 1 of the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 RoI 8 years' imprisonment 1 RoI connotes an offence committed in the Republic of Ireland 2 NI connotes an offence committed in Northern Ireland 3 An order was made that the principal offence should not be proceeded with without the leave of the court. A sentence of 12 years' imprisonment was imposed in respect of other offences 4 An order was made that the principal offence should not be proceeded with. Sentences of 2 years' imprisonment and 2 years' imprisonment suspended for a period of 3 years were imposed in respect of other offences The information requested is set out in the tables. In respect of the more detailed information requested by the hon. Member for the period 1976–1989, that information is not readily accessible and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The figures given are for all extra-territorial offences tried in Northern Ireland.
Table 1—Number of persons tried in Northern Ireland for extra-territorial offences under the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 during the period 1977–1997 Number of persons Year of trial Tried Convicted Acquitted 1977 0 0 0 1978 3 3 0 1979 0 0 0 1980 0 0 0 1981 1 1 0 1982 2 2 0 1983 0 0 0 1984 0 0 0 1985 1 1 0 1986 1 1 0 1987 1 0 1 1988 5 5 0 1989 1 1 0 1990 1 1 0 1991 2 2 0 1992 0 0 0 1993 1 1 0 1994 3 13 0 1995 2 2 0 1996 0 0 0 1997 0 0 0 Total 24 23 1 1 An Order was made that the extra-territorial offences should not be proceed with without the leave of the court. The defendants were convicted on other charges.