Tag: Elfyn Llwyd

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Elfyn Llwyd on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Attorney General, how many people have been (a) charged and (b) prosecuted under sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harrassment Act 1997.

Oliver Heald

The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 came into effect on 25 November 2012 and introduced two new offences of stalking into the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 under S2A and S4A. A table showing the number of offences charged and prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) under sections 2A and 4A that reached a first hearing in a magistrates’ court since these sections came into force has been deposited in the Library of the House. The data provided only shows the number of offences, not the number of people charged.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Elfyn Llwyd on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Attorney General, how many people have been charged under (a) section 2A and (b) section 4A of the Protection from Harrassment Act 1997 in each police force in England and Wales since those sections came into force.

Oliver Heald

The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 came into effect on 25 November 2012 and introduced two new offences of stalking into the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 under S2A and S4A. A table showing the number of offences charged and prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) under sections 2A and 4A that reached a first hearing in a magistrates’ court since these sections came into force has been deposited in the Library of the House. The data provided only shows the number of offences, not the number of people charged.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Elfyn Llwyd on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Attorney General, how many Crown prosecution lawyers have been trained to deal with offences of stalking under sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, in each Crown Prosecution Service area; and if he will make a statement.

Oliver Heald

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)has developed two online e-Learning courses on all types of stalking. The “Cyber Crime: Cyber Stalking” course includes cyber stalking, non-cyber stalking and harassment. The “Stalking and Harassment” course (which was released in April 2014) deals specifically with stalking and harassment offences, with emphasis on building a strong case, working closely with the police, appropriate charge selection, and engaging with victims throughout the legal process. The CPS maintains a central record of the number of prosecutors who have been trained to deal with stalking and harassment offences by way of the e-Learning courses.

The following data was extracted from the CPS HR Database and the online Prosecution College Database on 11 June 2014. The data is based on those barristers or solicitors who held a practising certificate in the relevant period and were employed by the CPS on 11 June 2014. The data covers the period 1 November 2012 (the month when the Cyber Stalking e-Learning module was revised to include the new stalking offences) to 11 June 2014.The data includes only those lawyers who have completed either the Cyber Stalking or Stalking and harassment e-Learning courses, including the evaluation modules, as the database records e-Learning based on completion of all elements of the course.

CPS Cyber Stalking and CPS Stalking & Harassment Completions: Lawyers by CPS Area:

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Elfyn Llwyd on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted under (a) section 2A and (b) section 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 since November 2012.

Jeremy Wright

I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

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 table.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Elfyn Llwyd on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of probation staff have received training in sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

Jeremy Wright

Sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, which were inserted by virtue of section 111 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012,have been included in the curriculum of the Probation Qualification Framework since 2012.

The Home Office has funded the development and delivery of a training package on stalking for frontline professionals which is been delivered by Women’s Aid, in collaboration with Paladin, the National Stalking Advocacy Service. This training is currently taking place nationwide. The training material is also available for use by organisations and agencies to deliver sessions themselves.

Training details relating to probation staff are held locally, but have not been collected centrally and could not be collected without incurring disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Elfyn Llwyd on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the police record complaints and offences of stalking.

Damian Green

The National Crime Recording Standard sets out that in all cases where a victim reports an allegation of a crime of stalking, the police must register an incident and once that report is confirmed as a crime they must then record it as such. Stalking is a serious crime and in recognition of this in April this year the Government established a specific stalking classification in the Home Office Counting Rules to provide improved data and transparency.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Elfyn Llwyd on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of police staff in each police area in England and Wales have received training in sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harrassment Act 1997.

Damian Green

The College of Policing sets standards and provides relevant training products and services to police forces. The College of Policing training package on
stalking has been completed 52,176 times between October 2012 and 31 May 2014 by police officers and staff in England and Wales.

The Home Office does not hold information on the proportion of police staff in each police area in England and Wales who have received training.