To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many elderly persons have been murdered in their homes in Northern Ireland in each year since 1998; and how many persons have been (a) charged with and (b) convicted of such murders. (168539)

The number of elderly persons murdered in their homes in Northern Ireland for each year since 2001 is set out in the following table.

The table also sets out the number of murders cleared, and the number cleared by means of a charge or summons.

It is not possible to supply data for the first three years requested as the exact location of murders was not recorded prior to 2001. Since the recorded figures for convictions do not record details of victims, it is not possible to provide data on the number of convictions.