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Written question asked by Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 23 October 2017, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 25 October 2017. It was answered by George Eustice (Conservative) on Tuesday, 31 October 2017 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Animal Welfare: Sutton

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many animal cruelty offences (a) have been committed and (b) convictions have been secured in the London Borough of Sutton in each of the last three years.

Answer

The number of offenders proceeded against and found guilty of offences under Sections 4 to 8 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, in the Metropolitan Police Force and South London Justice Area, from 2014 to 2016, can be viewed in the table (Annex 1). From 1 January 2012, Sutton Local Justice Area merged into South London Local Justice Area and this is why we do not hold details for the Sutton area.

Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts of animal cruelty (1), Metropolitan Police Force area, 2014 to 2016 (2)(3)

Force / Local Justice Area

2014

2015

2016

Proceeded against

Found guilty

Proceeded against

Found guilty

Proceeded against

Found guilty

Metropolitan Police

63

47

70

54

62

46

of which

South London Local Justice area (4)

12

15

8

10

11

5

(1) Defined as SS4-8 Animal Welfare Act 2006

(2) 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.

(3) 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.

(4) Sutton Local Justice Area merged into South London Local Justice Area from 1 January 2012.

Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
109132
Session
2017-19
Transferred
Yes
Subjects
Animal welfare Sentencing Sutton
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk