Written questions by O'Brien.

How many people sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence for (a) possession of a blade or point, (b) possession of an offensive weapon, (c) common assault, (d) assaulting a police officer, (e) sexual assault, (f) a public order offence, (g) theft, (h) robbery, (i) burglary, (j) a drug-related offence, (k) criminal damage, (l) breach of an anti-social behaviour order, (m) fraud and (n) vehicle taking in each year since 2007 had (i) no and (ii) between (A) one and four, (B) five and nine, (C) 10 and 15, (D) 16 and 25, (E) 26 and 50, (F) 51 and 75, (G) 76 and 100 and (H) 101 or more convictions and cautions for an offence.

The information requested is provided in the table attached with this answer. This table includes data, covering the period 2007 – 2023, on the number of offenders with a specified number of previous cautions and convictions who were sentenced to immediate custody for a specified offence.This data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a complicated retrieval from the Police National Computer database.It should be noted that sentencing decisions in individual cases are for the independent judiciary.

What the average number of previous (a) cautions and (b) convictions was for offenders who were sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence for (i) possession of a blade or point, (ii) possession of an offensive weapon, (iii) common assault, (iv) assaulting a police officer, (v) sexual assault, (vi) a public order offence, (vii) theft, (viii) robbery, (ix) burglary, (x) a drug-related offence, (xi) criminal damage, (xii) breach of an anti-social behaviour order, (xiii) fraud and (xiv) vehicle taking in each year since 2007.

The information requested is provided in the table attached with this answer. The table includes data covering the period 2007 – 2023, on the average number of a) previous convictions and b) previous cautions of offenders who were given an immediate custodial sentence when convicted for a specified offence. That is not to say that the offender was not sentenced to immediate custody for another offence prior to this conviction.This data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a complicated retrieval from the Police National Computer database.It should be noted that sentencing decisions in individual cases are for the independent judiciary.

How many people sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence for the first time for (a) possession of a blade or point, (b) possession of an offensive weapon, (c) common assault, (d) assaulting a police officer, (e) sexual assault, (f) a public order offence, (g) theft, (h) robbery, (i) burglary, (j) a drug-related offence, (k) criminal damage, (l) breach of an anti-social behaviour order, (m) fraud and (n) vehicle taking in each year since 2007 had (i) no, (ii) between one and four, (iii) between five and nine, (iv) between 10 and 15, (v) between 16 and 25, (vi) between 26 and 50, (vii) between 51 and 75, (viii) between 76 and 100 and (ix) 101 or more convictions and cautions for previous offences of any type.

The information requested is provided in the table attached with this answer. The table includes data covering the period 2007 – 2023, on the number of people sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence for the first time for a specified offence and an indication (by band) of their previous cautions and convictions for previous offences of any type. That is to say, in this data set, the offender received their first sentence of immediate custody for that particular offence. Nothing in this data set indicates that the offender has not received a sentence of immediate custody before, for another offence.This data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a complicated retrieval from the Police National Computer database.It should be noted that sentencing decisions in individual cases are for the independent judiciary.

What the highest number of previous offences was that a convicted person committed for that same offence before receiving a sentence other than an immediate non-custodial sentence for offences relating to (a) possession of a blade or point, (b) possession of an offensive weapon, (c) common assault, (d) assaulting a police officer, (e) sexual assault, (f) public order, (g) theft, (h) robbery, (i) burglary, (j) drugs, (k) criminal damage, (l) breach of anti social behaviour order, (m) fraud and (n) vehicle taking in each of the last three years.

Information on the highest number of previous cautions and convictions an offender had for a specified offence type before receiving a custodial sentence, covering the period 2021 to 2023, can be viewed in the attached table.This data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a complicated retrieval from the Police National Computer database.It should be noted that sentencing decisions in individual cases are for the independent judiciary.

How many offenders in each police force area who were convicted but not sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence in each year since 2007 had (a) 26 to 50, (b) 51 to 75, (c) 76 to 100 and (d) over 100 previous convictions or cautions.

The information requested is provided in the tables attached with this answer. These tables include data covering the period 2007 – 2023, on the number of offenders in each Police Force area with a specified number of previous convictions and cautions who were convicted but not sentenced to immediate custody for their latest offence in each of the given years. That is not to say that the offender has not received a sentence for immediate custody for any of the prior convictions.This data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a complicated retrieval from the Police National Computer database.It should be noted that sentencing decisions in individual cases are for the independent judiciary.

How many people who previously had (a) no and (b) between (i) one and four, (ii) five and nine, (iii) 10 and 15, (iv) 16 and 25, (v) 26 and 50, (vi) 51 and 75, (vii) 76 and 100 and (viii) 101 or more convictions were convicted and did not receive an immediate custodial sentence in each year since 2007.

The information requested is provided in the table attached with this answer. The table includes data covering the period 2007 to 2023, on the number of offenders convicted but did not receive an immediate custodial sentence by number of previous convictions. That is not to say that the offender did not receive a sentence of immediate custody at any point, but rather that their latest offence was not one of immediate custody. This data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a complicated retrieval from the Police National Computer database. It should be noted that sentencing decisions in individual cases are for the independent judiciary.

How many and what proportion of people convicted of violent offences who previously had (a) none, (b) one to four, (c) five to nine, (d) 10-15, (e) 16-25, (f) 26-50, (g) 51-75, (h) 76-100 and (i) 101 or more convictions received (i) an immediate custodial sentence, (ii) a suspended sentence and (iii) a community sentence in each year since 2007.

The information requested is provided in the tables attached with this answer. These table include data covering the period 2007 – 2023, on:The number of occasions on which an offender was convicted of a violence against the person offence with a specified number of previous convictions and received a specified sentence.The percentage of occasions on which an offender was convicted of a violence against the person offence with a specified number of previous convictions and received a specified sentence.This data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a complicated retrieval from the Police National Computer database.It should be noted that sentencing decisions in individual cases are for the independent judiciary.