To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many elderly persons were assaulted in their homes in each year since 1998 in Northern Ireland; and how many persons were (a) charged with and (b) convicted of such assaults in each year. (168492)

The number of elderly persons assaulted in their homes in Northern Ireland for each year since 2002 is set out in the following table.

The table also sets out the number of non sanction clearances, in which no further action was taken by the police, and the number of offences cleared by means of a charge or summons.

As the exact location of assault and age of victim was not recorded prior to 2002 I am not able to supply figures from 1998 to 2002.

Figures for convictions do not record details of victims. Therefore it is not possible to supply information on the number of convictions for such assaults in each year.

Fear of crime, particularly among older people, vulnerable people, victims and children is one of the nine key issues of the Northern Ireland Community Safety strategy. One of the proposed actions flowing from this theme was to produce a draft strategy for the safety of older people. The Community Safety Unit (CSU) launched the document ‘Proposals for the Safety of Older People’ for consultation on 14 June 2007 and responses are currently being evaluated.