§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought under anti-stalking legislation; how many such prosecutions were successful; and in how many cases the Crown Prosecution Service has appealed against the sentences given. [92234]
§ Mr. BoatengAvailable data from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, for 1997 and provisionally for 1998, are given in the table.
Part IV of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 provides that the Attorney-General may refer to the Court of Appeal sentences for certain offences which he believes to be unduly lenient, for the Court of Appeal to review and, if appropriate, increase. Offences contrary to sections two and four of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 do not come within the ambit of part IV and so there have been no such references.
Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and convicted at all courts for offences under s2 and s4 of the Protection from Harassment Act 19971 England and Wales, 1997 and 19982
Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and convicted at all courts for offences under s2 and s4 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 1 England and Wales, 1997 and 1998 2 Offence/disposal 1997 1998 2 Section 2—Offence of harassment (summary) Total proceeded against 507 4,304 Total convicted 249 2,221 Conviction rate3 49 52 Section 4—Putting people in fear of violence Total proceeded against 243 1,505 Total convicted 76 522 Conviction rate3 31 35 1 Came into force on 16 June 1997 2 Provisional 3 The number of offenders convicted at all courts as a percentage of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts