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<p>The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 created two new offences of stalking by inserting
new sections 2A and 4A into the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. The new offences,
which are not retrospective, came into force on the 25<sup>th</sup> of November 2012
and provide further options for prosecutors to consider when selecting charges. Between
the introduction of the new stalking offences on the 25<sup>th</sup> of November 2012
and the end of September 2014, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) data for stalking offences
charged by prosecutors shows a steady rise. It is not possible to determine with certainty
the impact that the stalking offences have had on the number of other offences charged
under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.</p><p>Figures for the number of stalking
and harassment charges that reached a first hearing at Magistrates’ Courts are set
out in the table below:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td><p><strong>2011-2012</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012-2013</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014-2015</strong></p><p><strong>
(April - Sept 2014)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection from Harassment Act
1997</p><p>{ 2(1) and (2) }</p></td><td><p>Harassment.</p></td><td><p>7,713</p></td><td><p>7,159</p></td><td><p>8,303</p></td><td><p>4,381</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection
from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 4(1) and (4) }</p></td><td><p>Harassment involving</p><p>fear
of violence.</p></td><td><p>1,632</p></td><td><p>1,398</p></td><td><p>1,489</p></td><td><p>859</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection
from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 2A(1) and (4) }</p></td><td><p>Stalking with fear</p><p>/
alarm / distress.</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>72</p></td><td><p>529</p></td><td><p>319</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection
from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 4A(1)(a)(b)(i) and (5) }</p></td><td><p>Stalking
involving</p><p>fear of violence.</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>65</p></td><td><p>59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection
from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 4A(1)(a)(b)(ii) and (5) }</p></td><td><p>Stalking
involving</p><p>serious alarm / distress.</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>149</p></td><td><p>122</p></td></tr><tr><td
colspan="2"><p><strong>TOTAL HARASSMENT OFFENCES</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>9,345</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8,648</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>10,535</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>5,740</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System</p><p><em>Notes:</em></p><p><em>1.
</em><em>Whilst there is no strict legal definition of 'stalking', section 2A (3)
of the </em><em> Protection from Harassment Act</em><em> 1997 sets out examples of
acts or omissions which, in particular circumstances, are ones associated with stalking.
These include: following, contacting, or attempting to contact a person by any means
(this may be through friends, work colleagues, family or technology); or, other intrusions
into the victim's privacy such as loitering in a particular place or watching or spying
on a person. The effect of such</em><em> behaviour</em><em> is to curtail a victim's
freedom, leaving them feeling that they constantly have to be watchful. In many cases,
the conduct might appear innocent (if it were to be taken in isolation), but when
carried out repeatedly so as to amount to a course of conduct, it may then cause significant
alarm, harassment or distress to the victim.</em></p><p><em>2. </em><em>The table
of data indicates the volume of offences charged in which a prosecution commenced
at magistrates’ courts for offences of harassment. No information is held as to the
number of individual defendants prosecuted, or details related to these individuals.
It is often the case that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence
against the same victim.</em></p><p> </p>
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