Sexual Offences

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been instigated for sexual offences against males under the age of 18 years in each of the last 20 years; and how many of these offences were committed by older men in positions of authority, influence or trust. [9159]

Limited information, for the years 1979 to 1995, on the number of males aged 21 and over prosecuted for sexual offences involving younger men is given in the table below.Information regarding the status of a defendant is not collected centrally. Also, offence information is not available to the detail required for the years prior to 1979.

Number of males aged 21 and over prosecuted for certain sexual offences by type of offence 1979–1995

England and Wales

Offence description

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

Sexual Offences Act 1956 Section 13 as amended by the Sexual Offences Act 1967 Section 3(2)

Indecency by a man with another male under the age of 21

235

268

230

210

227

221

196

Man procuring or attempting to procure or being party to the commission by a man under 21 of an act of gross indecency with another man

31

25

39

29

33

15

106

Sexual Offences Act 1956 Section 12, Schedule [16] as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1964 Section 144

Gross indecency by a male with a male aged under 18

¹—

Male procuring or attempting to procure or being party to the commission by a male under 18 of an act of gross indecency with another male

¹—

¹ Not applicable

Offences description	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995
Sexual Offences Act 1956 Section 12 as amended by the Sexual Offences Act Section 3(1)
Buggery with a boy under 16 or with a woman or an animal	145	213	267	238	279	247	290	257	291	110
Buggery by a man with a male of the age of 16 or over without consent	22	13	26	21	21	26	36	33	23	3
Buggery by a man with another male under the age of 21 with consent	19	17	9	4	9	15	12	7	4	1
Attempt to commit buggery with a boy under 16 or with a woman or an animal	18	15	18	26	20	20	22	9	17	6
Attempt by a man to commit buggery with a male of the age of 16 or over without consent	3	3	3	2	3	—	2	2	1	—
Attempt by a man to commit buggery with another male under the age of 21 with consent	1	1	5	2	—	2	—	1	—	—
Sexual Offences Act 1956 Section 12 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 Section 143
Buggery by a male of a male under 16	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	41
Buggery by a male with a male aged 16 or 17	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	1
Sexual offences Act 1956 Section 15
Indecent assault on male under 16	393	446	461	450	470	449	371	358	361	334
Sexual offences Act 1956 Section 13 as amended by the Sexual Offences Act 1967 Section 3(2)
Indecency by a man with another male under the age of 21	227	254	269	384	420	182	191	88	71	47
Man procuring or attempting to procure or being party to the commission by a man under 21 of an act of gross indecency with another man	37	40	61	89	71	19	14	11	13	8
Sexual Offences Act 1956 Section 12 Schedule 2(16) as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1964 Section 144
Gross indecency by a male with a male aged under 18	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	10
Male procuring or attempting to procure or being party to the commission by a male under 18 of an act of gross indecency with another male	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	1
¹ Not applicable

Volume 298: debated on Friday 18 July 1997