The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of cases relating to knife crime incidents that have not resulted in a successful prosecution. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.<\/p>
National figures on selected offences involving a knife or sharp instrument may be obtained from the Crime in England and Wales Bulletin Tables<\/em> published by the Office of National Statistics.<\/p> National figures on the numbers of prosecutions and outcomes for specific criminal offences including possession of weapons may be obtained from the official statistics published by the Ministry of Justice.<\/p> Prosecutions for knife related incidents may be brought by way of Section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 which provides for the offence of possession of a bladed or pointed article in a public place or Section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 which makes the possession of an offensive weapon in a public place an offence.<\/p> The information held by CPS on such offences is limited to the number of offences in which a CPS prosecution was charged and which reached a first hearing in the Magistrates Court. The tables below show the number of these offences for England and Wales and the West Midlands CPS Area.<\/p> Table 1 - England & Wales<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> <\/p><\/td> 2010-2011<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2011-2012<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2012-2013<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2013-2014<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2014-2015<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2015-2016<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2016-2017<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2017-2018<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> Criminal Justice Act 1988 { 139 }<\/p><\/td> 12,717<\/p><\/td> 12,641<\/p><\/td> 10,483<\/p><\/td> 11,090<\/p><\/td> 11,712<\/p><\/td> 13,261<\/p><\/td> 15,204<\/p><\/td> 16,619<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Prevention of Crime Act 1953 { 1 }<\/p><\/td> 12,387<\/p><\/td> 11,272<\/p><\/td> 9,460<\/p><\/td> 8,846<\/p><\/td> 9,018<\/p><\/td> 9,821<\/p><\/td> 10,789<\/p><\/td> 10,906<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> Table 2 - West Midlands CPS Area<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> <\/p><\/td> 2010-2011<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2011-2012<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2012-2013<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2013-2014<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2014-2015<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2015-2016<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2016-2017<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2017-2018<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> Criminal Justice Act 1988 { 139 }<\/p><\/td> 1,147<\/p><\/td> 1,259<\/p><\/td> 1,036<\/p><\/td> 1,078<\/p><\/td> 1,145<\/p><\/td> 1,455<\/p><\/td> 1,676<\/p><\/td> 1,890<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Prevention of Crime Act 1953 { 1 }<\/p><\/td> 1,123<\/p><\/td> 1,054<\/p><\/td> 822<\/p><\/td> 877<\/p><\/td> 914<\/p><\/td> 994<\/p><\/td> 1,158<\/p><\/td> 1,183<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> It should be noted that the figures relate to the number of offences and not the number of individual defendants. It is often the case that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Buckland"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-06T17:32:34.517Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Knives: Crime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of knife related incidents that have not resulted in a successful prosecution in (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) the UK in each year since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jim Cunningham"}
], "uin" : "198171"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1015154", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1015154/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The offences of grievous and actual bodily harm are created by the Offences against the Person Act 1861. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of defendants charged with, or prosecuted for these offences. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.<\/p> <\/p> While the CPS does not hold a central record of defendants prosecuted by specific offences, records are held reporting the number of defendants, identified as being persons serving with the police, who are assigned the Principal Offence Category \u2018Offences against the Person\u2019 at finalisation. Persons serving with the police are defined as, and include, police staff, community support officers and contracted escort and detention officers in addition to serving police officers. These figures are identified by way of a monitoring flag, administered by a member of staff highlighting it as a \u201cPolice complaint\u201d case.<\/p> <\/p> The table below shows the number of prosecuted defendants, flagged as being persons serving with the police and whose Principal Offence Category was identified as \u2018Offences against the Person\u2019, in each of the last five years.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p><\/td> 2013-2014<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2014-2015<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2015-2016<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2016-2017<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2017-2018<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> Total Defendants Prosecuted<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 43<\/p><\/td> 45<\/p><\/td> 121<\/p><\/td> 94<\/p><\/td> 92<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Total Trials <\/strong><\/p><\/td> 16<\/p><\/td> 18<\/p><\/td> 31<\/p><\/td> 21<\/p><\/td> 39<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Convicted after Trial <\/strong><\/p><\/td> 9<\/p><\/td> 10<\/p><\/td> 13<\/p><\/td> 8<\/p><\/td> 18<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Acquitted after Trial <\/strong><\/p><\/td> 7<\/p><\/td> 8<\/p><\/td> 18<\/p><\/td> 13<\/p><\/td> 21<\/p><\/td><\/tr> % Acquitted <\/strong><\/p><\/td> 44%<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 44%<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 58%<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 62%<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 54%<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Buckland"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-03T12:35:18.807Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Police: Crimes of Violence"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, how many police officers have been charged with (a) grievous bodily harm or (b) actual bodily harm by the Crown Prosecution Service and then acquitted after a trial in each of the last five years for which figures are available.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4656", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Layla Moran"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Oxford West and Abingdon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Layla Moran"}
], "uin" : "195659"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1013068", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1013068/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Details of the full time and part time personnel employed by the Crown Prosecution Service in 2012/13 and 2017/18 are shown in the table below.<\/p> <\/p> Year<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Full Time Personnel<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Part Time Personnel<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Totals<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2012/13<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 5468<\/p><\/td> 1861<\/p><\/td> 7329<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2017/18<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 4417<\/p><\/td> 1563<\/p><\/td> 5980<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Difference<\/strong><\/p><\/td> -1051<\/p><\/td> -298<\/p><\/td> -1349<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> (Data Source CPS Trent HR Database as at 26/11/18)<\/em><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Buckland"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-28T11:20:37.25Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Crown Prosecution Service: Staff"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2018 to Question 191883, what the change was in the number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time personnel employed by the Crown Prosecution Service between (i) 2012-13 and (ii) 2017-18.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1409", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Londonderry"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Gregory Campbell"}
], "uin" : "195034"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1013111", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1013111/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Sections 327, 328, 329 and 330 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 create provisions to deal with offences of money laundering. The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number of prosecutions and convictions under POCA where money laundering is the principal offence. There is no legal definition or specific criminal offence of \u201chigh end\u201d money laundering. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of defendants prosecuted for, and convicted of these offences. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.<\/p> <\/p> CPS holds limited information on the number of offences which were charged and which reached a first hearing in the Magistrates Court. This does not equate to the number of defendants charged as single defendant may be charged with more than one offence. The figures for the period since 2014 are provided in the table below.<\/p> <\/p><\/td> 2015-2016<\/p><\/td> 2016-2017<\/p><\/td> 2017-2018<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Sections 327 to 330 - Proceeds of Crime Act 2002<\/p><\/td> 4,542<\/p><\/td> 4,866<\/p><\/td> 4,813<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has prosecuted four individuals for money laundering offences since 2014. Two of these prosecutions resulted in a successful conviction in 2018. One of the two people who was prosecuted but acquitted was a qualified accountant.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Buckland"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-28T09:48:33.693Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Money Laundering: Convictions and Prosecutions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, how many accountants have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted for high-end money laundering by the (i) Serious Fraud Office and (ii) Crown Prosecution Service in each year since 2014.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4125", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Catherine McKinnell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Catherine McKinnell"}
], "uin" : "195059"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1013112", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1013112/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Sections 327, 328, 329 and 330 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 create provisions to deal with offences of money laundering. The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number of prosecutions and convictions under POCA where money laundering is the principal offence. There is no legal definition or specific criminal offence of \u201chigh end\u201d money laundering. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of defendants prosecuted for, and convicted of these offences. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.<\/p> <\/p> CPS holds limited information on the number of offences which were charged and which reached a first hearing in the Magistrates Court. This does not equate to the number of defendants charged as single defendant may be charged with more than one offence. The figures for the period since 2014 are provided in the table below.<\/p> <\/p><\/td> 2015-2016<\/p><\/td> 2016-2017<\/p><\/td> 2017-2018<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Sections 327 to 330 - Proceeds of Crime Act 2002<\/p><\/td> 4,542<\/p><\/td> 4,866<\/p><\/td> 4,813<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has prosecuted four individuals for money laundering offences since 2014. Two of these prosecutions resulted in a successful conviction in 2018.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Buckland"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-28T09:49:33.973Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Money Laundering: Convictions and Prosecutions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, how many estate agents have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted for high-end money laundering by the (i) Serious Fraud Office and (ii) Crown Prosecution Service in each year since 2014.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4125", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Catherine McKinnell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Catherine McKinnell"}
], "uin" : "195060"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1010729", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1010729/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " All decisions to prosecute made by the Crown Prosecution Service must meet the Full Code Test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. The Code makes it clear that there is a balance to be struck between the public interest in diverting a defendant with significant mental illness such as dementia from the criminal justice system and other public interest factors in favour of prosecution, including the need to safeguard the public.<\/p> The eighth edition of the Code for Crown Prosecutors was published in October 2018. Prosecutors are asked to \u201chave regard to whether the suspect is, or was at the time of the offence, affected by any significant mental or physical ill health or disability, as in some circumstances this may mean that it is less likely that a prosecution is required. However, prosecutors will also need to consider how serious the offence was, whether the suspect is likely to re-offend and the need to safeguard the public or those providing care to such persons.\u201d<\/p> The existing CPS legal guidance on prosecuting \u2018Mentally Disordered Offenders\u2019 is currently being revised to include specific guidance on prosecuting cases where the suspect suffers from a condition such as dementia. This will be published for public consultation in 2019.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Buckland"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-28T09:36:50.033Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Dementia: Prosecutions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, what guidance he has published on laying criminal charges against people with dementia.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4006", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hendon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Matthew Offord"}
], "uin" : "193451"}
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}