The records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)indicate the number of offences charged, in which a prosecution commenced at magistrates' courts under Section 2 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 (publishing or having an obscene article for publication for gain), rather than identifying the number of people prosecuted.<\/p>
Section 2 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 creates the offence of publishing or having an obscene article for publication for gain.<\/p>
The table below shows, in each of the last 8 years, for which figures are available, the number of offences, charged by way of Section 2 of the OPA 1959, and which reached a first hearing at magistrates' courts, in England and Wales.<\/p>
<\/p>
Financial Year<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Obscene Publications Act 1959 { 2 }<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2005-2006<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 111<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2006-2007<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 105<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2007-2008<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 111<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2008-2009<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 152<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2009-2010<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 82<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2010-2011<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 71<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2011-2012<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 76<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2012-2013<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 34<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/69", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Oliver Heald"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Hertfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Oliver Heald"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-04-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-04-28T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-04-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, how many prosecutions have taken place under the Obscene Publications Act 1959 for the offence of providing unrestricted access to hardcore pornography online, as set out in the 2005 Crown Prosecution Service guidelines, disaggregated by year.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1484", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Goodman"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bishop Auckland"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Helen Goodman"}
], "uin" : "196000"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47116", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47116/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Law Officers' Departments have not transferred any permanent jobs from the public to the private sector as a result of privatisations or outsourcing since May 2010.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/69", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Oliver Heald"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Hertfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Oliver Heald"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-04-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-04-28T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-04-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, how many jobs have been transferred from the public to the private sector as a result of privatisations or outsourcing by the Law Officers' Departments since May 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4263", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lucy Powell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Manchester Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lucy Powell"}
], "uin" : "195504"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47290", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47290/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The CPS flags all cases identified as domestic violence according to the revised Government definition implemented in March 2013. This includes the elements of coercive control, and behaviours which do not display visible injuries such as psychological abuse which were introduced in the revised definition. However the records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) cannot separately identify the number of people prosecuted for each of these elements. Such information could only be obtained through a manual search of records which would incur a disproportionate cost.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/69", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Oliver Heald"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Hertfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Oliver Heald"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-04-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "195663"}
, {"_value" : "195667"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-04-28T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-04-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, how many cases of domestic violence have led to prosecutions for psychological abuse in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Robert Buckland"}
], "uin" : "195668"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47291", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47291/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The CPS flags all cases identified as domestic violence according to the revised Government definition implemented in March 2013. This includes the elements of coercive control, and behaviours which do not display visible injuries such as psychological abuse which were introduced in the revised definition. However the records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) cannot separately identify the number of people prosecuted for each of these elements. Such information could only be obtained through a manual search of records which would incur a disproportionate cost.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/69", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Oliver Heald"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Hertfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Oliver Heald"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-04-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "195663"}
, {"_value" : "195668"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-04-28T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-04-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, how many domestic violence cases have led to prosecutions for non-injurious behaviours.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Robert Buckland"}
], "uin" : "195667"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47292", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47292/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The CPS flags all cases identified as domestic violence according to the revised Government definition implemented in March 2013. This includes the elements of coercive control, and behaviours which do not display visible injuries such as psychological abuse which were introduced in the revised definition. However the records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) cannot separately identify the number of people prosecuted for each of these elements. Such information could only be obtained through a manual search of records which would incur a disproportionate cost.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/69", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Oliver Heald"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Hertfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Oliver Heald"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-04-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, {"_value" : "195668"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-04-28T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-04-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, whether any domestic violence cases have led to prosecutions for coercive control since the inclusion of coercive control in the Government's definition of domestic violence in March 2013.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Robert Buckland"}
], "uin" : "195663"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47293", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47293/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The records held by the Crown Prosecution Service do not identify the number of people prosecuted for domestic violence that have led to prosecutions for stalking where the stalking behaviour occurred before the victim and perpetrator had separated. Such information could only be obtained through a manual search of records which would incur disproportionate cost.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/69", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Oliver Heald"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Hertfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Oliver Heald"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-04-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-04-28T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-04-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, whether any cases of domestic violence have led to prosecutions for stalking when the stalking behaviours occurred before the victim and perpetrator had separated.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"}
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, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Robert Buckland"}
], "uin" : "195669"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/46163", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/46163/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the number of suspects (not cases) referred to prosecutors for a pre-charge decision and the number of defendants prosecuted, following a decision to charge.<\/p> The table below shows, in each of the last five years for which figures are available, the total number of charging decisions made against suspects and the outcome of decisions where the decision was to (a) take no further action, (b) caution, (c) conditionally caution or (d) recommend another out of court disposal. In addition, the table shows the number of defendants prosecuted at magistrates' courts and at the Crown Court, by the CPS following a decision to charge (e), the number convicted (f) and the number convicted after a contested hearing (g). The table does not include other outcomes related to pre-charge decisions.<\/p> <\/p> Total Pre-Charge<\/strong><\/p> Decisions<\/strong><\/p><\/td> (a) No Further<\/strong><\/p> Action<\/strong><\/p><\/td> (b) Simple<\/strong><\/p> Caution<\/strong><\/p><\/td> (c) Conditional<\/strong><\/p> Caution<\/strong><\/p><\/td> (d) Other Out <\/strong>of <\/strong><\/p> Court Disposal<\/strong><\/p><\/td> (e) Prosecuted<\/strong><\/p><\/td> (f) Convictions<\/strong><\/p><\/td> (g) Conviction<\/strong><\/p> after Contest<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2008-09<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 532,427<\/p><\/td> 140,895<\/p><\/td> 9,596<\/p><\/td> 8,378<\/p><\/td> 4,520<\/p><\/td> 357,785<\/p><\/td> 288,996<\/p><\/td> 31,049<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2009-10<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 477,522<\/p><\/td> 127,502<\/p><\/td> 8,040<\/p><\/td> 8,229<\/p><\/td> 3,088<\/p><\/td> 326,051<\/p><\/td> 259,017<\/p><\/td> 28,777<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2010-11<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 468,656<\/p><\/td> 120,144<\/p><\/td> 6,595<\/p><\/td> 6,935<\/p><\/td> 2,390<\/p><\/td> 332,935<\/p><\/td> 261,539<\/p><\/td> 28,186<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2011-12<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 369,564<\/p><\/td> 89,104<\/p><\/td> 4,275<\/p><\/td> 4,982<\/p><\/td> 1,377<\/p><\/td> 282,970<\/p><\/td> 223,504<\/p><\/td> 26,042<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2012-13<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 309,315<\/p><\/td> 73,916<\/p><\/td> 2,993<\/p><\/td> 3,781<\/p><\/td> 863<\/p><\/td> 233,594<\/p><\/td> 185,176<\/p><\/td> 20,872<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System<\/p> The data reported in the above table are inclusive of suspects referred to the CPS for a charging decision and defendants prosecuted by the specialised national divisions of the CPS including, from April 2011, proceedings formerly dealt with by the prosecution functions of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for Work and Pensions and Department of Health.<\/p> |