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<p>The records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) indicate the number of
offences charged, in which a prosecution commenced at magistrates’ courts, rather
than identifying the number of defendants prosecuted. The Protection from Harassment
Act 1997 created the offence of harassment and latterly, as amended by the Protection
of Freedoms Act 2012, stalking.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In each year since 2011-12
the number of offences charged by way of the stalking or harassment offences under
the Act is as follows:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><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></tr><tr><td><p>Protection
from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 2A(1) and (4) }</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>72</p></td><td><p>529</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection
from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 4A(1)(a)(b)(i) and (5) }</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>65</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection
from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 4A(1)(a)(b)(ii) and (5) }</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>149</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>TOTAL
- STALKING OFFENCES</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>0</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>91</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>743</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection
from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 2(1) and (2) }</p></td><td><p>7,713</p></td><td><p>7,159</p></td><td><p>8,303</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection
from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 4(1) and (4) }</p></td><td><p>1,632</p></td><td><p>1,398</p></td><td><p>1,489</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>TOTAL
- HARASSMENT OFFENCES</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>9,345</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8,557</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>9,792</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>TOTAL
S2, S2A, S4 & S4A PHA </strong></p><p><strong>1997 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></tr></tbody></table><p>Data
Source: CPS Case Management Information System</p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p> </p><p>There is no indication of the number of individual defendants prosecuted
for these offences or the final outcome of the prosecution proceeding or if the charged
offence was the substantive charge at the time of finalisation. It is often the case
that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence against the same
victim.</p><p> </p>
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