§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many convictions there have been for animal cruelty in each of the last five years; [100352]
(2) how many arrests there have been for animal cruelty in each of the last five years; and how many of them resulted in a prosecution. [100353]
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthThe statistics collected centrally on arrests relate to notifiable offences only, so do not cover arrests for animal cruelty.
Persons proceeded against and those found guilty for various offences connected with animal cruelty are shown in the table for England and Wales, 1997 to 2001.
Statistics for 2002 will be available in the late autumn.
1215W
England and Wales 1997–2001 Number of defendants 2000 2001 Statute Defendants proceeded against Defendants convicted Defendants proceeded against Defendants convicted Riding Establishments Acts, 1964 and 1970 3 2 1 1 Slaughter of Poultry Act, 1967 — — — — Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1968, Secs 1, 2 and 6 16 10 17 5 Protection of Badgers Act, 1992 (except Sec 13) 21 4 9 5 Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 Sec 9 — — 4 3 Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 Sec 11 — — 2 — Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 5 4 10 4 Breeding of Dogs Acts 1973 and 1991 3 2 1 1 Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999 — — — — Diseases of Animals Act 26 22 201 154 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Secs 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 17 96 80 67 46 Total 1,368 1,061 1,389 1,046 * = Not applicable. 1Principal offence basis. 2Staffordshire Police were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts in 2000.