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Alcoholic Drinks: Crime

Volume 495: debated on Tuesday 7 July 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in the London Borough of Bexley aged (a) under 18 and (b) between 18 and 24 years old have been (i) cautioned and (ii) prosecuted for alcohol-related behaviour in each of the last five years. (271069)

The number of persons cautioned for alcohol related behaviour offences in Greater London, which includes the Metropolitan and City of London police force areas, by age group, from 2003 to 2007 (latest available) can be viewed in table 1. The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence.

The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for alcohol related behaviour in Greater London, by age group, from 2003 to 2007 are given in table 2. The statistics in table 2 relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. For example, when a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.

A Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) may also be issued by the police for certain alcohol related offences such as being drunk and disorderly and drunk in a highway. The number of persons issued with a PND for alcohol related behaviour offences in the Metropolitan and City of London police force areas, by age group, from 2004 to 2007 (latest available) are given in table 3. The PND Scheme was implemented in all 43 police force areas in England and Wales in 2004.

Information held centrally is not available at local authority area. Data have been given in the tables for Greater London, which includes the City of London and Metropolitan police force areas, in which the London borough of Bexley is situated.

Data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.

Table 1: Number of persons cautioned for alcohol related behaviour offences1 in Greater London (including the Metropolitan and City of London police force areas), by age group, 2003 to 20072,3,4AgeTotal200310 to 1715518 to 24142200410 to 1710318 to 24102200510 to 172618 to 2487200610 to 17918 to 2490200710 to 17118 to 241411 Includes offences under the:Licensing Act 1872 s.12;Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 ss.1(2)(3)(4) and 1A(2)(3)(4), 2(1)(2), 5B(2)(3), 5C(3)(4), 5D(2)(3), 6(2);Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act 1997 s. 1;Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 ss.12, 17, 25(3)(a)(b), 25(4)(5), 32;Criminal Justice Act 1967 s.91; Licensing Act 1964 ss. 5C(5), 6, 6, 19, 28(3), 34, 36, 39(1)(2)(3)(4), 45, 48, 51(4), 53, 59(1)(a)(b), 71(4), 72, 84, 85(2), 89, 155(1)(a), 157(1)(a)(b), 157(1)(b), 159, 160,(1)(a)(b), 161(1)(2), 162, 163, 164(1)(2), 165, 166(1)(a)(b), 167, 168A, 168(1)(2), 169A, 169B, 169C(1)(2)(3), 169E(1), 169F, 169G, 170, 171A(1), 172, 172A, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179A(6), 179B(5)(6), 179E(8), 1791-1(2), 181A(1)(2)(3), 183(1)(2)(3), 184, 185, 186, 187(3)(4), 188, 193(7) Sch.8 Appendix C s. 6, Appendix D;Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 s. 1;Licensing Act 2003 ss. 33, 40, 41, 46, 49, 56, 57, 59, 82, 83, 93, 94, 96, 108, 109, 123, 127, 128, 132, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 147A, 148, 149(1)(3)(4)(7(a)(b), 150(1)(2), 151, 152, 153, 156, 157, 158, 160, 161, 165, 168, 179, 197, Sch.8 paras 1 and 22;Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 ss. 11, 27;Road Traffic Act 1991 s. 3;Late Night Refreshment Houses Act 1969 ss. 7(2), 8, 9(1)(4), 10;Town Police Clauses Act 1847 ss. 35, 61;London Hackney Carriage Act 1843 s.28;Merchant Shipping Act 1995 s.101(1)(a)(b), (4) and (5);Licensing Act 1902 ss.2, 6(2)(a)(b);Similar provisions in Local Acts;Road Traffic Act ss.4(1)(2) s.5(1)(a)(b), s.6(4), s.7(6);Road Traffic Act 1988 ss. 3A, 7A as added by Police Reform Act 2002 s.56, Transport and Works Act 1992 S.31A as added by Police Reform Act 2002 s.52;Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 s.3 [Sch. Para. 2, 3(a)(b), 4(1)(2)(3), 5, 6, 7, 8(2), 9(2)];Licensing Act 1988 s. 17,18;Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, s. 19;Children and Young Persons Act 1933 s. 5;Criminal Justice Act 1996 s. 6.2 The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence.3 From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. These figures have been included in the totals.4 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.Source:Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Evidence and Analysis Unit

Table 2: Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for alcohol related behaviour offences1 in Greater London (including the Metropolitan and City of London police force areas), by age group, 2003 to 20072,3Police force areaAgeTotal200310 to 1721918 to 243,244200410 to 1718718 to 242,763200510 to 1715118 to 242,730200610 to 179218 to 242,807200710 to 1712718 to 242,6001 Includes offences under the:Licensing Act 1872 s.12;Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 ss.1(2)(3)(4) and 1A(2)(3)(4), 2(1)(2), 5B(2)(3), 5C(3)(4), 5D(2)(3), 6(2);Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act 1997 s. 1; Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 ss.12, 17, 25(3)(a)(b), 25(4)(5), 32;Criminal Justice Act 1967 s.91;Licensing Act 1964 ss. 5C(5), 6, 6, 19, 28(3), 34, 36, 39(1)(2)(3)(4), 45, 48, 51(4), 53, 59(1)(a)(b), 71(4), 72, 84, 85(2), 89, 155(1)(a), 157(1)(a)(b), 157(1)(b), 159, 160,(1)(a)(b), 161(1)(2), 162, 163, 164(1)(2), 165, 166(1)(a)(b), 167, 168A, 168(1)(2), 169A, 169B, 169C(1)(2)(3), 169E(1), 169F, 169G, 170, 171A(1), 172, 172A, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179A(6), 179B(5)(6), 179E(8), 1791-1(2), 181A(1)(2)(3), 183(1)(2)(3), 184, 185, 186, 187(3)(4), 188, 193(7) Sch.8 Appendix C s. 6, Appendix D;Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 s.1;Licensing Act 2003 ss. 33, 40, 41, 46, 49, 56, 57, 59, 82, 83, 93, 94, 96, 108, 109, 123, 127, 128, 132, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 147A, 148, 149(1)(3)(4)(7(a)(b), 150(1)(2), 151, 152, 153, 156, 157, 158, 160, 161, 165, 168, 179, 197, Sch.8 paras 1 and 22;Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 ss. 11,27;Road Traffic Act 1991 s. 3;Late Night Refreshment Houses Act 1969 ss. 7(2), 8, 9(1)(4), 10;Town Police Clauses Act 1847 ss. 35, 61;London Hackney Carriage Act 1843 s.28;Merchant Shipping Act 1995 s.101(1)(a)(b), (4) and (5);Licensing Act 1902 ss.2, 6(2)(a)(b);Similar provisions in Local Acts;Road Traffic Act ss.4(1)(2) s.5(1)(a)(b), s.6(4), s.7(6);Road Traffic Act 1988 ss. 3A, 7A as added by Police Reform Act 2002 s.56, Transport and Works Act 1992 S.31A as added by Police Reform Act 2002 s.52;Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 s.3 [Sch. Para. 2, 3(a)(b), 4(1)(2)(3), 5, 6, 7, 8(2), 9(2)];Licensing Act 1988 s. 17, 18;Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, s. 19;Children and Young Persons Act 1933 s. 5;Criminal Justice Act 1996 s. 6.2These data are on the principal offence basis.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.Source:Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Evidence and Analysis Unit

Table 3: Number of penalty notices for disorder given for alcohol related behaviour offences1,2 in Greater London (including the Metropolitan and City of London police force areas), by age group, 2004 to 20073Police force areaAgeTotal200416 to 176218 to 241,616200516 to 1710218 to 241,305200616 to 1710018 to 241,309200716 to 179418 to 241,3991 Includes offences under the:Criminal Justice Act 1967 s. 91;Licensing Act 2003 s. 141, 146(1)(3), 149(1)(3)(4), 150(1)(2), 151;Licensing Act 1872 s. 12;Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 s. 12;2 The offence of being ‘drunk and disorderly’ moved from the lower tier (£50) to the upper tier (£80) on 1 November 2004; Sale of alcohol to a person under 18, Purchasing alcohol for a person under 18, Delivery of alcohol to a person under 18 or allowing such delivery, Consumption of alcohol by a person under 18 on relevant premises, Allowing consumption of alcohol by a person under 18 on relevant premises, were added to the scheme on 1 November 2004;Sale of alcohol to a drunken person, Buying or Attempting to buy alcohol by a person under 18, were added to the Scheme with effect from 4 April 2005. 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.Source:Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Evidence and Analysis Unit