§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Attorney-General what percentage of cases prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution358W Service were begun with the defendant having indicated an intention to plead (a) guilty to the offence for which he or she was charged, (b) guilty to a lesser charge and (c) not guilty. [34482]
The Attorney-GeneralThe Crown Prosecution Service holds no central records on plea indications. The information is held in branch offices on individual case files, and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Attorney-General how many defendants were convicted having(a) pleaded guilty to the offence with which they were originally charged, (b) pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and (c) pleaded not guilty in the last year for which figures are available. [34478]
The Attorney-GeneralThe Crown Prosecution Service holds no central records on pleas to original or lesser charges. The information is held on individual case files in each branch office, and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. However, central records are kept in relation to the number of defendants convicted following a not guilty plea.
The number of defendants convicted in magistrates' courts following a plea of not guilty was 53,235 in 1997, 74.4 per cent. of contested hearings.
The number convicted in the Crown Court following a plea of not guilty was 13,226, 60.3 per cent. of contested hearings.