The information requested is shown in the table. Data for 2004 and 2005 are not comparable to data from previous years given changes in offence classifications in May 2004. This is confined to offences of indecent assault on male and female persons under 16 years (to May 2004) and sexual assault on male and female persons under 13 (from May 2004) but excludes offences of sexual assault against persons aged 14 and under 16 since May 2004 as these cannot be separately distinguished on the Home Office Courts Proceedings Database.
Persons sentenced to immediate custody Of which, sentenced to life or indeterminate sentence Average custodial sentence length1 (months) 1996 1,133 — 24.8 1997 1,128 — 25.2 1998 1,100 — 25.7 1999 1,090 — 25.7 2000 1,030 — 26.2 2001 941 — 27.4 2002 956 — 28.5 2003 902 — 28.5 2004 959 — 28.7 2005 571 2 32.8 1 Excluding life and indeterminate sentences. 2 Offences of indecent assault on male and female persons under 16 (to May 2004) and sexual assault on male and female persons aged under 13 (from May 2004). Sexual assaults on persons aged 14 and under 16 since May 2004 are excluded. Notes: Although care is taken in collating and analysing the returns used to compile these figures, the data are of necessity subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system. Consequently, although figures are shown to the last digit in order to provide a comprehensive record of the information collected, they are not necessarily accurate to the last digit shown. Source: RDS-NOMS, Home Office.