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Drink Driving

Volume 461: debated on Wednesday 6 June 2007

To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how many convictions there were in each police authority in England and Wales for the offence of drink driving in each year since 2001; and how many resulted in (a) a prison sentence, (b) mandatory disqualification from driving and (c) the maximum fine. (138820)

Available information taken from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, from 2001 to 2004 (latest available) is provided in the following tables.

Data for 2005 will be available shortly; 2006 data will be available in 2008.

Table A: Total findings of guilt at all courts and resultant custody, maximum fine imposed and disqualifications, for the offence of driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs1, by police force area, England and Wales, 2001

Of which:

Police force area

Total findings of guilt

Immediate custody2

Maximum fine (£)

Disqualified3

Avon and Somerset

2,197

129

1,000

2,099

Bedfordshire

914

79

600

857

Cambridgeshire

813

51

2,200

742

Cheshire

1,529

96

1,500

1,429

Cleveland

887

77

2,500

824

Cumbria

761

51

750

703

Derbyshire

1,411

140

1,000

1,264

Devon and Cornwall

2,369

128

2,500

2,281

Dorset

1,150

91

2,500

1,063

Durham

1,097

86

4,000

1,029

Essex

2,456

264

1,000

2,273

Gloucestershire

865

39

1,050

813

Greater Manchester

4,715

454

2,500

4,329

Hampshire

3,464

235

1,250

3,297

Hertfordshire

1,666

94

2,000

1,600

Humberside

1,259

126

1,000

1,184

Kent

2,575

165

2,500

2,424

Lancashire

2,304

148

1,000

2,174

Leicestershire

1,546

140

2,000

1,437

Lincolnshire

877

60

1,125

836

London, City of

162

10

1,440

156

Merseyside

2,195

217

1,250

2,001

Metropolitan Police

11,260

928

4,500

10,607

Norfolk

1,143

75

3,750

1,065

Northamptonshire

399

65

2,000

375

Northumbria

2,529

217

4,000

2,297

North Yorkshire

1,066

55

3,000

1,015

Nottinghamshire

1,598

187

45,000

1,504

South Yorkshire

2,020

159

1,500

1,905

Staffordshire

1,513

136

1,200

1,431

Suffolk

920

43

1,800

854

Surrey

1,592

65

1,500

1,549

Sussex

2,358

128

1,500

2,250

Thames Valley

3,275

210

2,000

3,137

Warwickshire

880

33

2,000

846

West Mercia

1,740

91

2,000

1,610

West Midlands

4,914

471

2,000

4,475

West Yorkshire

3,220

331

1,500

2,987

Wiltshire

1,045

53

1,500

966

Dyfed-Powys

867

36

1,200

811

Gwent

1,152

76

1,500

1,051

North Wales

1,227

87

1,000

1,153

South Wales

2,812

295

1,200

2,574

1 Offences under the Road Traffic Act 1988 ss. 4 (1) & (2); 5 (1) and (b); 6 (4) and 7 (6).

2 Immediate Custody = Detention and Training Order, Young Offender Institution and Unsuspended sentence of imprisonment.

3 Disqualifications given as a secondary disposal. This covers cases where a disqualification from driving was given instead of a licence endorsement. This excludes cases where a defendant was disqualified under the penalty points or “totting up” system (s35 Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988). S.35 R.T.O.A. data for specific offences at force area level are not sufficiently robust.

4 Statutory maximum fine (£5,000) was issued once in Nottinghamshire police force area only.

Note 1: Standard Rate maximum fine is Level 5 (£5,000).

Note 2: It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings, in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. Work is underway to ensure that the magistrates courts case management system being implemented by the Ministry of Justice reports all motoring offences to the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. This will enable more complete figures to be disseminated.

Note 3: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Table B: Total findings of guilt at all courts and resultant custody, maximum fine imposed and disqualifications, for the offence of driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs1, by police force area, England and Wales, 2002

Of which:

Police force area

Total findings of guilt

Immediate custody2

Maximum fine (£)

Disqualified3

Avon and Somerset

2,401

124

1,000

2,298

Bedfordshire

955

82

750

899

Cambridgeshire

852

41

1,500

782

Cheshire

1,993

103

1,200

1,853

Cleveland

921

71

2,500

831

Cumbria

768

37

1,230

718

Derbyshire

1,465

164

4,000

1,365

Devon and Cornwall

2,441

95

2,500

2,347

Dorset

1,199

83

600

1,121

Durham

1,136

68

3,000

1,075

Essex

2,522

267

3,000

2,346

Gloucestershire

926

44

2,300

852

Greater Manchester

4,720

474

3,000

4,387

Hampshire

3,846

243

3,000

3,654

Hertfordshire

1,894

90

1,500

1,810

Humberside

1,395

113

1,000

1,314

Kent

2,745

152

2,000

2,582

Lancashire

2,599

159

2,500

2,465

Leicestershire

1,659

140

2,000

1,556

Lincolnshire

847

56

800

810

London, City of

221

12

1,440

209

Merseyside

2,293

216

3,600

2,105

Metropolitan Police

12,905

927

4,000

12,140

Norfolk

1,220

55

2,000

1,179

Northamptonshire

236

35

1,100

212

Northumbria

2,588

188

2,500

2,373

North Yorkshire

1,119

63

3,000

1,071

Nottinghamshire

1,420

129

2,500

1,324

South Yorkshire

1,945

165

3,000

1,819

Staffordshire

1,704

143

2,000

1,592

Suffolk

1,105

79

3,500

1,022

Surrey

1,614

68

4,000

1,564

Sussex

2,306

149

3,500

2,224

Thames Valley

4,317

219

2,500

4,147

Warwickshire

841

40

1,000

799

West Mercia

1,719

93

2,000

1,623

West Midlands

5,050

438

2,000

4,628

West Yorkshire

3,564

268

2,000

3,276

Wiltshire

1,005

54

1,200

938

Dyfed-Powys

927

47

1,200

856

Gwent

1,074

74

1,000

983

North Wales

1,270

71

2,000

1,165

South Wales

2,761

236

1,500

2,573

1 Offences under the Road Traffic Act 1988 ss. 4 (1) and (2); 5 (1) and (b); 6 (4) and 7 (6).

2 Immediate Custody = Detention and Training Order, Young Offender Institution and Unsuspended sentence of imprisonment.

3 Disqualifications given as a secondary disposal. This covers cases where a disqualification from driving was given instead of a licence endorsement. This excludes cases where a defendant was disqualified under the penalty points or “totting up” system (s35 Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988). S.35 R.T.O.A. data for specific offences at force area level are not sufficiently robust.

Note 1: No police force area registered the statutory maximum fine (£5,000).

Note 2: Standard Rate maximum fine is Level 5 (£5,000).

Note 4: It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings, in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. Work is under way to ensure that the magistrates courts case management system being implemented by the Ministry of Justice reports all motoring offences to the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. This will enable more complete figures to be disseminated.

Note 3: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Table C: Total findings of guilt at all courts and resultant custody, maximum fine imposed and disqualifications, for the offence of driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs1, by police force area, England and Wales, 2003

Of which:

Police force area

Total findings of guilt

Immediate custody2

Maximum fine (£)

Disqualified3

Avon and Somerset

2,666

167

3,000

2,577

Bedfordshire

1,072

72

1,500

1,013

Cambridgeshire

933

56

1,500

879

Cheshire

1,905

110

1,000

1,784

Cleveland

981

61

1,000

897

Cumbria

843

37

1,000

781

Derbyshire

1,617

168

1,000

1,508

Devon and Cornwall

2,667

121

1,300

2,570

Dorset

1,264

73

2,000

1,201

Durham

1,170

77

1,500

1,101

Essex

2,622

311

2,000

2,400

Gloucestershire

890

37

650

834

Greater Manchester

4,743

437

45,000

4,444

Hampshire

3,663

234

2,500

3,513

Hertfordshire

1,904

78

1,200

1,799

Humberside

1,445

150

1,500

1,356

Kent

2,811

179

4,000

1,456

Lancashire

2,652

146

1,050

2,516

Leicestershire

1,725

143

3,000

1,618

Lincolnshire

1,111

42

1,000

1,064

London, City of

230

4

1,500

223

Merseyside

2,687

215

2,500

2,475

Metropolitan Police

12,621

922

45,000

11,910

Norfolk

1,274

59

2,000

1,216

Northamptonshire

799

65

1,500

757

Northumbria

2,747

187

2,000

2,527

North Yorkshire

1,194

51

2,000

1,139

Nottinghamshire

1,644

149

750

1,562

South Yorkshire

2,089

125

1,000

1,950

Staffordshire

1,733

141

1,000

1,633

Suffolk

1,213

66

3,000

1,099

Surrey

1,464

44

2,000

1,403

Sussex

2,430

120

2,500

2,343

Thames Valley

3,884

159

4,000

3,752

Warwickshire

918

33

800

890

West Mercia

1,797

100

2,000

1,686

West Midlands

5,233

420

2,000

4,864

West Yorkshire

3,720

260

1,500

3,449

Wiltshire

1,031

62

1,500

950

Dyfed-Powys

995

46

2,500

920

Gwent

1,149

94

3,000

1,055

North Wales

1,326

76

750

1,253

South Wales

2,840

211

1,500

2,646

1 Offences under the Road Traffic Act 1988 ss. 4 (1) and (2); 5 (1) and (b); 6 (4) and 7 (6).

2 Immediate Custody = Detention and Training Order, Young Offender Institution and Unsuspended sentence of imprisonment.

3 Disqualifications given as a secondary disposal. This covers cases where a disqualification from driving was given instead of a licence endorsement.

This excludes cases where a defendant was disqualified under the penalty points or “totting up” system (s35 Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988). S.35 R.T.O.A. data for specific offences at force area level are not sufficiently robust.

4 Statutory maximum fine (£5,000) was issued once in both Greater Manchester and the Metropolitan police force areas.

Note 1: Standard Rate maximum fine is Level 5 (£5,000).

Note 2: It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings, in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. Work is under way to ensure that the magistrates courts case management system being implemented by the Ministry of Justice reports all motoring offences to the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. This will enable more complete figures to be disseminated.

Note 3: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Table D: Total findings of guilt at all courts and resultant custody, maximum fine imposed and disqualifications, for the offence of driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs1, by police force area, England and Wales, 2004

Of which:

Police force area

Total findings of guilt

Immediate custody2

Maximum fine (£)

Disqualified3

Avon and Somerset

2,692

145

1,200

2,599

Bedfordshire

1,028

65

800

984

Cambridgeshire

1,083

52

1,000

1,042

Cheshire

2,128

106

1,000

1,906

Cleveland

1,071

60

1,000

956

Cumbria

907

50

350

845

Derbyshire

1,874

143

2,000

1,748

Devon and Cornwall

2,560

120

2,000

2,440

Dorset

1,239

52

1,200

1,198

Durham

1,277

80

750

1,179

Essex

2,853

349

1,200

2,657

Gloucestershire

913

38

1,500

870

Greater Manchester

4,811

379

2,500

4,469

Hampshire

3,743

199

4,000

3,584

Hertfordshire

1,881

94

2,000

1,776

Humberside

1,623

112

1,500

1,512

Kent

3,010

155

2,500

2,824

Lancashire

2,706

125

2,000

2,570

Leicestershire

1,754

145

1,000

1,602

Lincolnshire

1,209

46

1,500

1,160

London, City of

169

5

1,500

164

Merseyside

2,849

261

4,500

2,529

Metropolitan Police

13,227

832

45,000

12,346

Norfolk

1,240

64

1,200

1,178

Northamptonshire

922

73

2,500

878

Northumbria

2,675

183

2,000

2,491

North Yorkshire

1,131

40

2,500

1,054

Nottinghamshire

1,669

111

2,000

1,568

South Yorkshire

2,224

140

1,500

2,100

Staffordshire

1,733

124

2,500

1,628

Suffolk

1,332

89

3,000

1,191

Surrey

1,425

51

2,000

1,385

Sussex

2,368

104

2,500

2,301

Thames Valley

3,539

190

4,000

3,405

Warwickshire

845

23

1,000

817

West Mercia

1,689

103

2,000

1,593

West Midlands

5,584

423

2,000

5,229

West Yorkshire

3,897

276

3,000

3,623

Wiltshire

1,024

39

1,500

949

Dyfed-Powys

986

47

2,000

919

Gwent

1,188

69

1,500

1,108

North Wales

1,349

75

1,000

1,265

South Wales

2,811

222

2,500

2,666

1 Offences under the Road Traffic Act 1988 ss. 4 (1) and (2); 5 (1) and (b); 6 (4) and 7 (6).

2 Immediate Custody = Detention and Training Order, Young Offender Institution and Unsuspended sentence of imprisonment.

3 Disqualifications given as a secondary disposal. This covers cases where a disqualification from driving was given instead of a licence endorsement.

This excludes cases where a defendant was disqualified under the penalty points or “totting up” system (s35 Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988). S.35 R.T.O.A. data for specific offences at force area level are not sufficiently robust.

4 Statutory maximum fine (£5,000) was issued once in the Metropolitan police force area only.

Note 1: Standard Rate maximum fine is Level 5 (£5,000).

Note 2: It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings, in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. Work is underway to ensure that the magistrates courts case management system being implemented by the Ministry of Justice reports all motoring offences to the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. This will enable more complete figures to be disseminated.

Note 3: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.