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<p>The stalking offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, sections 2A
(stalking) and 4A (stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress),
have been available from 25 November 2012. The section 2A offence has a maximum penalty
of six months’ imprisonment and/or a fine, and the section 4A offence has a maximum
penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment.</p><p> </p><p>The number of people convicted under
sections 2A and 4A in 2012 and 2013 and those receiving custodial sentence can be
viewed at the table below.</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="4"><p><em>Defendants
proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty and sentenced to immediate
custody at all courts of offences under Sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from
Harassment Act 1997, England and Wales, 2012 to 2013<sup>1,2,3</sup></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>Section
of Act</em></p></td><td><p><em>Outcome</em></p></td><td><p><em>2012</em></p></td><td><p><em>2013</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Section
2A<sup>4</sup></p></td><td><p>Proceeded against</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>293</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p>Found guilty</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>196</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p>Sentenced</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>192</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p>Immediate custody</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p>up to 12 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p>12 to 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p>over 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Section
4A<sup>5</sup></p></td><td><p>Proceeded against</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>154</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p>Found guilty</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>53</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p>Sentenced</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>42</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p>Immediate custody</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p>up to 12 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p>12 to 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p>over 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td
colspan="4"><p><sup>1</sup> The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom
these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a
defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which
the heaviest penalty is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is
the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. <sup>2</sup>
Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete.
However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative
data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should
be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are
taken into account when those data are used. <sup>3</sup> The number of offenders
sentenced can differ from those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant
found guilty in a particular year, and committed for sentence at the Crown Court,
may be sentenced in the following year. <sup>4</sup> Pursue course of conduct in breach
of S.1(1) of the Act which amounts to stalking. <sup>5</sup> Stalking involving fear
of violence or serious alarm and distress. <em>Note:</em> Offences introduced 25 November
2012. <em>Source:</em> Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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