---

Stalking

Answer

The most recent figures showing the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty and sentenced to immediate custody for offences under Sections 2A and 4A of the

Protection from Harassment Act 1997, in England and Wales, from 2012 to 2013 (the latest data available), can be viewed in the following table.

Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty and sentenced to immediate custody at all courts of offences under Sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, England and Wales, 2012 to 20131,2,3
Section of Act	Outcome	2012	2013
Section 2A4	Proceeded against	8	293
	Found guilty	2	196
	Sentenced	2	192
	Of which:
	Immediate custody	0	35
	Of which:
	up to 12 months	0	35
	12 to 24 months	0	0
	over 24 months	0	0
Section 4A5	Proceeded against	0	154
	Found guilty	0	53
	Sentenced	0	42
	Of which:
	Immediate custody	0	14
	Of which:
	up to 12 months	0	10
	12 to 24 months	0	4
	over 24 months	0	0
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 for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 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. 3 The number of offenders sentenced can differ from those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty in a particular year, and committed for sentence at the Crown Court, may be sentenced in the following year. 4 Pursue course of conduct in breach of S.1(1) of the Act which amounts to stalking. 5 Stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm and distress. Note: Offences introduced 25 November 2012. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

199869; 582 cc584-5W

Session

2014-15

Transferred

Yes

Subjects

Convictions Stalking

Legislation

Protection from Harassment Act 1997

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk