HC Deb 06 July 1999 vol 334 cc472-9W
Mrs. Golding

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of sexual offences against children(a) led to charges being preferred, (b) were prosecuted and (c) resulted in convictions in each year from 1989. [89581]

Table A: Number of offenders cautioned for sexual offences against children by type of offence, England and Wales, 1989–97
Offence description 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
Buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal 39 59 49 30 27
Attempt to commit buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal 2 7 5 8 8
Buggery by a male of a male under 161
Buggery by a male aged 21 or over with a male aged 16 or 171
Buggery by a male aged 18–20 with a male aged 16 or 171
Buggery by a male with a female under 161
Buggery by a male aged 21 or over with a female aged 16 or 171
Buggery by a male aged 18–20 with a female aged 16 or 171
Indecent assault on male person under 16 years 157 221 199 209 184
Gross indecency by a male aged 21 or over with a male aged under 182
Gross indecency by a male aged 18–20 with a male aged under 182
Rape of a female aged under 163
Rape of a male aged under 163
Attempted rape of a female aged under 163
Attempted rape of a male aged under 163
Indecent assault on a female under 16 1,121 1,117 1,023 1,081 1,007
Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 13 83 72 63 59 67
Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16 1,122 984 850 706 553
Incest with girl under 13 11 16 13 12 19
Inciting girl under 16 to have incestuous sexual intercourse 1 5
Householder permitting unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16 3 2 3
Person responsible for girl under 16 causing or encouraging her prostitution etc. 1
Male aged 21 or over procuring or attempting to procure a male under 18 of gross indecency with another male2
Abduction of unmarried girl under 16 3 7 3 3 3
Abduction of unmarried girl under 18
Gross indecency with boys aged 14 or under 44 53 41 46 56
Gross indecency with girls aged 14 or under 34 41 40 52 45

Table A: Number of offenders cautioned for sexual offences against children by type of offence, England and Wales, 1989–97
Offence description 1994 1995 1996 1997
Buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal 41 8 5
Attempt to commit buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal 6 1 1
Buggery by a male of a male under 161 2 5 44
Buggery by a male aged 21 or over with a male aged 16 or 171 1 1
Buggery by a male aged 18–20 with a male aged 16 or 171 1
Buggery by a male with a female under 161 1 1 1
Buggery by a male aged 21 or over with a female aged 16 or 171
Burggery by a male aged 18– with a male aged under 182 1
Indecent assault on male person under 16 years 176 137 120 102
Gross indecency by a male aged 21 or over with a male aged under 182 4 4 11
Gross indecency by a male aged 18–20 with a male aged under 182 3
Rape of a female aged under 163 5 11 18
Rape of a male aged under 163 3
Attempted rape of a female aged under 163 2 4 3
Attempted rape of a male aged under 163
Indecent assault on a female under 16 849 670 664 624
Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 13 45 41 40 16
Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16 500 400 369 273
Incest with girl under 13 11 8 4 7
Inciting girl under 16 to have incestuous sexual intercourse 1 3
Householder permitting unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16 2
Person responsible for girl under 16 causing or encouraging her prostitution etc. 1
Male aged 21 or over procuring or attempting to procure a male under 18 of gross indecency with another male2 3 1
Abduction of unmarried girl under 16 5 2 2 2

Mr. Boateng

Detailed information on the number of people charged is not collected centrally. We do have some information from the Home Office Cautions and Court Proceedings Databases, on the number of persons cautioned, proceeded against and convicted for sexual offences against children. This is given in the tables and is not comprehensive as it is not possible to identify all offences where the victim was under 16 years of age.

Table A: Number of offenders cautioned for sexual offences against children by type of offence, England and Wales, 1989–97
Offence description 1994 1995 1996 1997
Abduction of unmarried girl under 18
Gross indecency with boys aged 14 or under 49 28 21 27
Gross indecency with girls aged 14 or under 36 30 33 37
1Buggery and attempted buggery offences under the Sexual offences Act 1956 S 12 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, S143
2Indecency between males offences under the Sexual Offences Act 1956 S12 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, S144
2Rape and attempted rape offences under the Sexual Offences Act 1956 S1 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, S142

Table B: Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts for sexual offences against children by type of offence, England and Wales, 1989–97
Offence description 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
Buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal 281 327 300 329 294
Attempt to commit buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal 32 25 24 27 15
Buggery by a male of a male under 161
Buggery by a male aged 21 or over with a male aged 16 or 171
Buggery by a male aged 18–20 with a male aged 16 or 171
Buggery by a male with a female under 161
Buggery by a male aged 21 or over with a female aged 16 or 171
Buggery by a male aged 18–20 with a female aged 16 or 171
Indecent assault on male person under 16 years 553 570 522 457 432
Gross indecency by a male aged 21 or over with a male aged under 182
Gross indecency by a male aged 18–20 with a male aged under 182
Rape of a female aged under 163
Rape of a male aged under 163
Attempted rape of a female aged under 163
Attempted rape of a male aged under 163
Indecent assault on a female under 16 2,169 2,285 2,138 2,005 1,896
Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 13 139 146 155 112 97
Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16 290 292 254 254 189
Incest with girl under 13 88 111 80 50 52
Inciting girl under 16 to have incestuous sexual intercourse 3 1 1 2 2
Householder permitting unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16 6 7 3 9 8
Person responsible for girl under 16 causing or encouraging her prostitution etc. 2 2
Male aged 21 or over procuring or attempting to procure a male under 18 of gross indecency with another male2
Abduction of unmarried girl under 16 16 12 20 24 13
Abduction of unmarried girl under 18 1 1 3
Gross indecency with boys aged 14 or under 130 156 117 131 102
Gross indecency with girls aged 14 or under 147 161 122 130 155

Table B: Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts for sexual offences against children by type of offence, England and Wales, 1989–97
Offence description 1994 1995 1996 1997
Buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal 345 125 16
Attempt to commit buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal 21 6 3
Buggery by a male of a male under 161 48 66 107
Buggery by a male aged 21 or over with a male aged 16 or 171 1 2 6
Buggery by a male aged 18–20 with a male aged 16 or 171 3
Buggery by a male with a female under 161 25 26 35
Buggery by a male aged 21 or over with a female aged 16 or 171 2 1
Buggery by a male aged 18–20 with a female aged 16 or 171 1
Indecent assault on male person under 16 years 449 400 325 373
Gross indecency by a male aged 21 or over with a male aged under 182 10 9 30
Gross indecency by a male aged 18–20 with a male aged under 182 1 3
Rape of a female aged under 163 336 477 592
Rape of a male aged under 163 18 20 45
Attempted rape of a female aged under 163 32 44 74
Attempted rape of a male aged under 163 4 5
Indecent assault on a female under 16 2036 1797 1604 1639
Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 13 88 77 40 40
Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16 202 195 164 153
Incest with girl under 13 41 22 26 14
Inciting girl under 16 to have incestuous sexual intercourse 5 3 2 7
Householder permitting unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16 4 4 3

Table B: Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts for sexual offences against children by type of offences, England
and Wales, 1989–97
Offence description 1994 1995 1996 1997
Person responsible for girl under 16 causing or encouraging her prostitution etc. 1 2
Male aged 21 or over procuring or attempting to procure a male under 18 of gross indecency with another male2 1 6
Abduction of unmarried girl under 16 27 11 9 6
Abduction of unmarried girl under 18 1 1
Gross indecency with boys aged 14 or under 87 62 61 63
Gross indecency with girls aged 14 or under 129 109 97 109
1Buggery and attempted buggery offences under the Sexual offences Act 1956 S 12 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, S143
2Indecency between males offences under the Sexual Offences Act 1956 S12 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, S144
3Rape and attempted rape offences under the Sexual Offences Act 1956 S1 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, S142

Table C: Number of offenders convicted1 at all courts for offences against children by type of offence, England and Wales, 1989–97
Offence description 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
Buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal 183 189 168 163 136
Attempt to commit buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal 26 18 26 17 20
Buggery by a male of a male under 162
Buggery by a male aged 21 or over with a male aged 16 or 172
Buggery by a male aged 18–20 with a male aged 16 or 172
Buggery by a male with a female under 162
Buggery by a male aged 21 or over with a female aged 16 or 172
Buggery by a male aged 18–20 with a female aged 16 or 172
Indecent assault on male person under 16 years 406 421 351 363 293
Gross indecency by a male aged 21 or over with a male aged under 183
Gross indecency by a male aged 18–20 with a male aged under 183
Rape of a female aged under 164
Rape of a male aged under 164
Attempted rape of a female aged under 16°
Attempted rape of a male aged under 164
Indecent assault on a female under 16 1,657 1,537 1,469 1,331 1,205
Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 13 96 110 105 89 76
Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16 262 304 223 218 170
Incest with girl under 13 100 84 68 52 51
Inciting girl under 16 to have incestuous sexual intercourse 5 3 3 3 2
Householder permitting unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16 3 5 1 3 6
Person responsible for girl under 16 causing or encouraging her prostitution etc. 1 2 2 1
Male aged 21 or over procuring or attempting to procure a male under 18 of gross indecency with another male3
Abduction of unmarried girl under 16 13 8 8 12 6
Abduction of unmarried girl under 18 1
Gross indecency with boys aged 14 or under 104 128 91 99 80
Gross indecency with girls aged 14 or under 115 148 128 129 123

Table C: Number of offenders convicted1 at all courts for offences against children by type of offence, England and Wales, 1989–97
Offence description 1994 1995 1996 1997
Buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal 135 86 5
Attempt to commit buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal 16 14 2
Buggery by a male of a male under 162 29 66 70
Buggery by a male aged 21 or over with a male aged 16 or 172 2 3 6
Buggery by a male aged 18–20 with a male aged 16 or 172 1
Buggery by a male with a female under 162 7 17 21
Buggery by a male aged 21 or over with a female aged 16 or 172 2 2
Buggery by a male aged 18–20 with a female aged 16 or 172 1
Indecent assault on male person under 16 years 324 339 355 363
Gross indecency by a male aged 21 or over with a male aged under 183 11 11 17
Gross indecency by a male aged 18–20 with a male aged under 183 2
Rape of a female aged under 164 113 210 198
Rape of a male aged under 164 2 13 24
Attempted rape of a female aged under 164 21 35 52
Attempted rape of a male aged under 164 2 2 2
Indecent assault on a female under 16 1355 1,446 1,597 1,627
Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 13 64 81 54 44
Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16 205 203 207 199

Table C: Number of offenders convicted1 at all courts for offences against children by type of offence, England and Wales, 1989–97
Offence description 1994 1995 1996 1997
Incest with girl under 13 35 21 19 19
Inciting girl under 16 to have incestuous sexual intercourse 4 5 3
Householder permitting unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16 2 3 1
Person responsible for girl under 16 causing or encouraging her prostitution etc. 3 1 1
Male aged 21 or over procuring or attempting to procure a male under 18 of gross indecency with another male3 2 3 6
Abduction of unmarried girl under 16 9 6 3 1
Abduction of unmarried girl under 18 1 1 0
Gross indecency with boys aged 14 or under 77 56 53 56
Gross indecency with girls aged 14 or under 112 99 109 111
1Includes persons proceeded against in earlier years or for other offences
1Buggery and attempted buggery offences under the Sexual offences Act 1956 S12 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, S143
3Indecency between males offences under the Sexual Offences Act 1956 S12 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, S144
4Rape and attempted rape offences under the Sexual Offences Act 1956 S1 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, S142