Rape Mr. Dodds To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many recorded rapes there were in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years, and what percentage of those recorded rapes led to a conviction in each of those years, broken down by Police Service of Northern Ireland District Command Units. Paul Goggins The Government is committed to improving the rates of successful prosecution in rape cases. Specialist police units, staffed by highly skilled and trained personnel, are dedicated to enhancing the service to victims of rape and sexual assault and both PSNI and the Public Prosecution Service are seeking to develop models of best investigative practice so that more offences can achieve the threshold for prosecution. The Northern Ireland Office and the Department of Health and Social and Personal Services have also jointly developed, and consulted on, a draft regional strategy for addressing sexual violence in Northern Ireland which will address these issues through a robust action plan delivering on strategic objectives in three key areas—crime prevention, better victim support and improved protection and justice measures. The strategy is to be published this spring. Table 1 shows the number of rapes (including attempts) recorded by PSNI from 2001-02 to 2006-07 by DCU. As the DCU structure was only introduced in 2001-02, it is not possible to provide a breakdown by DCU prior to this year. Table 2 shows the number of prosecutions, convictions and percentage conviction rate for rape by District Command Unit from 2000 to 2005 (the years for which figures are available). Data are collated on the basis of the principal offence; so only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included. It is not possible routinely to reconcile recorded crime data from PSNI with prosecution and conviction data. Data from PSNI relate to the number of offences, whereas data on prosecutions and convictions relate to the number of offenders brought before the courts. In addition, PSNI data denote each offence as it has been initially recorded, and this may differ from the offence for which a suspect or suspects are subsequently proceeded against in the courts. I therefore regret that a direct comparison between recorded rape and convictions for rape cannot easily be made. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |District Command Unit |Recorded 2001-02|Recorded 2002-03|Recorded 2003-04|Recorded 2004-05|Recorded 2005-06|Recorded 2006-07| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Antrim |8 |8 |10 |7 |17 |16 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Ards |6 |15 |14 |18 |15 |20 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |East Belfast |14 |12 |12 |17 |15 |21 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North Belfast |19 |22 |34 |29 |28 |25 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |South Belfast |28 |25 |32 |22 |31 |39 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |West Belfast |11 |14 |24 |15 |11 |25 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Carrickfergus |1 |3 |6 |6 |4 |8 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Castlereagh |13 |9 |7 |3 |7 |8 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Down |8 |17 |11 |9 |18 |15 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Lisburn |15 |20 |26 |22 |24 |29 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Newtownabbey |8 |11 |10 |19 |20 |20 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North Down |13 |8 |22 |12 |16 |18 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Urban region |144 |164 |208 |179 |206 |244 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Armagh |9 |3 |2 |10 |10 |9 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Ballymena |8 |19 |20 |18 |17 |13 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Ballymoney |0 |5 |5 |4 |3 |1 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Banbridge |8 |10 |10 |11 |4 |9 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Coleraine |9 |18 |16 |10 |15 |18 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Cookstown |6 |6 |3 |3 |3 |6 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Craigavon |20 |18 |19 |18 |20 |17 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Dungannon and South Tyrone|8 |7 |6 |8 |6 |12 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Fermanagh |4 |7 |9 |8 |10 |15 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Foyle |32 |44 |35 |44 |36 |40 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Larne |7 |10 |9 |11 |6 |3 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Limavady |8 |7 |10 |11 |6 |9 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Magherafelt |6 |8 |5 |5 |7 |13 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Moyle |3 |5 |5 |3 |3 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Newry and Mourne |9 |7 |17 |14 |18 |21 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Omagh |5 |12 |5 |11 |17 |16 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Strabane |6 |7 |11 |12 |4 |11 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Rural region |148 |193 |187 |201 |185 |213 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total |292 |357 |395 |380 |391 |457 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------- |District Command Unit |2000 |2001 | ----------------------------------------------------- | |Prosecutions|Convictions|Percentage convictions|Prosecutions|Convictions|Percentage convictions| ----------------------------------------------------- |Antrim |0 |0 |—|1|1|100| ----------------------------------------------------- |Ards |0 |0 |—|1|0|0| ----------------------------------------------------- |Armagh |0 |0 |—|0|0|—| ----------------------------------------------------- |Banbridge |0 |0 |—|1|1|100| ----------------------------------------------------- |Belfast East |1 |0 |0|2|1|50| ----------------------------------------------------- |Belfast North |2 |1 |50|3|2|67| ----------------------------------------------------- |Belfast South |1 |1 |100|1|1|100| ----------------------------------------------------- |Belfast West |1 |0 |0|0|0|—| ----------------------------------------------------- |Ballymena |0 |0 |—|1|0|0| ----------------------------------------------------- |Ballymoney |0 |0 |—|0|0|—| ----------------------------------------------------- |Carrickfergus |0 |0 |—|0|0|—| ----------------------------------------------------- |Coleraine |1 |0 |0|1|1|100| ----------------------------------------------------- |Cookstown |1 |0 |0|1|1|100| ----------------------------------------------------- |Craigavon |1 |0 |0|1|0|0| ----------------------------------------------------- |Castlereagh |1 |1 |100|0|0|—| ----------------------------------------------------- |Dungannon and South Tyrone|0 |0 |—|2|0|0| ----------------------------------------------------- |Down |1 |1 |100|0|0|—| ----------------------------------------------------- |Fermanagh |0 |0 |—|0|0|—| ----------------------------------------------------- |Foyle |0 |0 |—|3|0|0| ----------------------------------------------------- |Larne |3 |1 |33|0|0|—| ----------------------------------------------------- |Limavady |1 |0 |0|0|0|—| ----------------------------------------------------- |Lisburn |1 |1 |100|1|0|0| ----------------------------------------------------- |Magherafelt |1 |0 |0|0|0|—| ----------------------------------------------------- |Moyle |0 |0 |—|0|0|—| ----------------------------------------------------- |Newtownabbey |1 |1 |100|2|0|0| ----------------------------------------------------- |North Down |0 |0 |—|1|0|0| ----------------------------------------------------- |Newry and Mourne |3 |0 |0|2|1|50| ----------------------------------------------------- |Omagh |0 |0 |—|0|0|—| ----------------------------------------------------- |Strabane |0 |0 |—|4|3|75| ----------------------------------------------------- |Missing |0 |0 |—|0|0|—| ----------------------------------------------------- |Total |20 |7 |35|28|12|43| ----------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Prosecutions|Convictions|Percentage convictions|Prosecutions|Convictions|Percentage convictions| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Antrim |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |— | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Ards |1 |0 |0 |2 |1 |50 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Armagh |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |— | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Banbridge |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Belfast East |3 |1 |33 |0 |0 |— | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Belfast North |4 |3 |75 |1 |0 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Belfast South |3 |2 |67 |4 |1 |25 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Belfast West |0 |0 |— |1 |1 |100 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Ballymena |0 |0 |— |1 |0 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Ballymoney |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Carrickfergus |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Coleraine |0 |0 |— |2 |1 |50 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Cookstown |0 |0 |— |2 |0 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Craigavon |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Castlereagh |0 |0 |— |1 |0 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Dungannon and South Tyrone|0 |0 |— |1 |0 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Down |1 |1 |100 |1 |0 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Fermanagh |0 |0 |— |2 |0 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Foyle |2 |1 |50 |1 |1 |100 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Larne |0 |0 |— |1 |0 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Limavady |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Lisburn |0 |0 |— |2 |1 |50 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Magherafelt |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Moyle |2 |0 |0 |0 |0 |— | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Newtownabbey |0 |0 |— |1 |1 |100 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North Down |1 |o |0 |1 |0 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Newry and Mourne |3 |0 |0 |0 |0 |— | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Omagh |0 |0 |— |1 |0 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Strabane |1 |0 |0 |1 |1 |100 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Missing |2 |0 |0 |0 |0 |— | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total |25 |8 |32 |26 |8 |31 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Prosecutions|Convictions|Percentage Convictions|Prosecutions|Convictions|Percentage convictions| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Antrim |2 |2 |100 |1 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Ards |2 |1 |50 |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Armagh |0 |0 |— |2 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Banbridge |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Belfast East |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Belfast North |3 |0 |0 |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Belfast South |4 |3 |75 |1 |1 |100 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Belfast West |1 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Ballymena |2 |1 |50 |2 |1 |50 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Ballymoney |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Carrickfergus |0 |0 |— |1 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Coleraine |2 |2 |100 |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Cookstown |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Craigavon |1 |1 |100 |2 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Castlereagh |0 |0 |— |1 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Dungannon and South Tyrone |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Down |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Fermanagh |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Foyle |4 |4 |100 |1 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Larne |0 |0 |— |1 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Limavady |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Lisburn |1 |0 |0 |2 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Magherafelt |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Moyle |0 |0 |— |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Newtownabbey |1 |1 |100 |3 |1 |33 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North Down |0 |0 |— |1 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Newry and Mourne |0 |0 |— |1 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Omagh |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Strabane |1 |0 |0 |1 |1 |100 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Missing |2 |0 |0 |0 |0 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total |29 |15 |52 |21 |4 |19 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 Missing data relate to those offenders for whom DCU information is not available.| | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------