§ Baroness Bloodasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people have been prosecuted in each of the past five years for committing, or being involved in the commission of, a paramilitary punishment attack in Northern Ireland; and, of those prosecuted, how many have been convicted. [HL4411]
§ Baroness AmosThere is no legal offence of paramilitary attack. Certain scheduled offences—for example assault occasioning actual bodily harm or grievous bodily harm—may relate to paramilitary assaults but to disaggregate such attacks would incur a disproportionate cost.
§ Baroness Bloodasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people have been required to leave Northern Ireland in each of the past five years as a result of intimidation by paramilitary organisations; and how many have been prosecuted in each of the past five years for playing a part in such intimidation. [HL4412]
§ Baroness AmosThere are no official figures on the number of people exiled from Northern Ireland as a result of paramilitary intimidation as not all incidents are reported. The needs of exiles are examined in detail in the legacy report, an independent needs analysis of victims of the Troubles living in Great Britain. One of the major contributors to this research was Maranatha, a Christian community which has considerable experience in this area. Maranatha estimates that around four people per month are exiled from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.
Over the five-year period (1999–2003) a total of 16 persons were proceeded against (in scheduled cases) for offences of intimidation. However, information on the specific background of such offences, for example whether the offences resulted in the victim having to leave Northern Ireland, are not maintained.