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<p>The Government is absolutely clear that abusive or threatening behaviour, stalking
or harassment, are totally unacceptable, whether online or offline. A number of offences
may be committed by misusing the internet or social media in this way, in particular
under section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988 or section 127 of the Communications
Act 2003. Changes to the law in the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill will help to
ensure that people who commit those offences are prosecuted and properly punished.</p><p>
</p><p>Stalking causes misery for victims. That is why in 2012 we added to the Protection
from Harassment Act 1997 two new specific offences of stalking (section 2A) and stalking
involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress (section 4A), the latter of
which is punishable by up to five years in prison, or a fine, or both. Online stalking
or harassment could amount to one of these offences if it is carried out as part of
a ‘course of conduct’ which amounts to stalking, and could amount to the more serious
offence if that course of conduct puts someone in fear of violence, or if it causes
them serious alarm or distress which has a substantial adverse effect on their usual
day-to-day activities</p><p> </p><p>The number of defendants proceeded against at
magistrates' courts and found</p><p>guilty at all courts for offences relating to
the Computer Misuse Act 1990,</p><p>from 1990 to 2013 (latest data available), can
be viewed in the table.</p><p> </p><p>Information held centrally by the Ministry of
Justice on the Court Proceedings Database does not include the circumstances behind
each case beyond the description provided in the statute. It is not possible to separately
identify from this centrally held information convictions and sentences involving
the use or misuse of social media, or cyber crime. This detailed information may be
held on the court record but due to the size and complexity is not reported centrally
to the MoJ. As such, the information requested can only be obtained at disproportionate
cost.</p><p> </p><p>Court proceedings data for 2014 are planned for publication in
May 2015.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3">Defendants proceeded against
at magistrates' court and found guilty at all courts for offences relating to the
Computer Misuse Act 1990, England & Wales, 1990-2013<sup>(1)(2)</sup></td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Year</td><td>Proceeded<br>
Against</td><td>Found<br> Guilty<sup>(3)</sup></td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>1991</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>1992</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>1994</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>1996</td><td>2</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>1997</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>1998</td><td>16</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td>13</td><td>11</td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>19</td><td>15</td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td>25</td><td>31</td></tr><tr><td>2002</td><td>18</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>2003</td><td>19</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>21</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td>24</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td>2006</td><td>25</td><td>18</td></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td>19</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>2008<sup>(4)</sup></td><td>17</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>19</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>10</td><td>18</td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>11</td><td>11</td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>25</td><td>27</td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td>55</td><td>40</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>339</td><td>262</td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>(-) Nil</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">(1) 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. Where the same disposal
is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which
the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td>
</td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">(2) 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.</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">(3)
The number of defendants found guilty in a particular year may exceed the number proceeded
against as the proceedings in the magistrates' court took place in an earlier year
and the defendants were found guilty at the Crown Court in the following year; or
the defendants were found guilty of a different offence to that for which they were
originally proceeded against.</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td
colspan="3">(4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates' court for April, July and August
2008.</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">Source:
Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.</td></tr><tr><td>PQ
222192</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table>
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