FOI Malicious Communications Arrests (118-2024/25)
Request
Q1. How many people arrested for sending 'malicious messages' between April 2022 and April 2024]
Q2. How many people charged and how many people cautioned under the Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003? Between April 2022 and April 2024 - Broken down by year.
Q3. How many people charged and how many people cautioned under the Malicious Communications Act 1988? Between April 2022 and April 2024 - Broken down by year.
Q4. What was the nature of these arrests/charges? For example, posting something on a social media site.
Response
Extent and Result of Searches to Locate Information
To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police. I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by North Yorkshire Police.
Decision
I have today decided to disclose the located information to you.
Q1. Please see the table below which details the number of arrests for sending malicious messages by North Yorkshire Police from 1 April 2022 to 30 March 2024, broken down by arrest reason and year.
|
Offence |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Communications Act 2003 |
117 |
174 |
33 |
|
Malicious Communications Act 1988 |
1 |
7 |
4 |
|
Total |
118 |
181 |
37 |
Q2 & Q3. Please see the table below which details the number of cautions & charges for sending malicious messages by North Yorkshire Police from 1 April 2022 to 30 March 2024, broken down by arrest reason and year.
|
Offence |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Communications Act 2003 |
|
||
|
Caution |
9 |
6 |
1 |
|
Charge |
- |
- |
1 |
|
Malicious Communications Act 1988 |
|
||
|
Caution |
13 |
34 |
3 |
|
Charge |
- |
1 |
- |
|
Total |
22 |
41 |
5 |
Q4. The nature of these arrests/charges is not recorded within an automatically searchable field. To extract this information would require extensive manual review which would exceed the time allowed under the act.
Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data. It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.