These statistics relate to the public disorder of 6th to 9th August 2011.

Introduction

This publication provides updated information on those brought before the courts for offences relating to the public disorder of 6th to 9th August 2011. Information on numbers brought before the courts, initial outcomes and sentencing is based on data available by midday on 1st February 2012. In reading this bulletin please bear in mind that:

1. the group of people brought before the courts is only a subset of all people who took part in the public disorder of 6th to 9th August 2011. It is therefore possible that there are differences between the people brought before the courts to date and all those who took part in the disorder.
2. some of the people brought before the courts will have their charges dropped or be acquitted.
3. there are new cases being brought before the courts for events relating to the disorder on a daily basis. It is possible that there may be differences in characteristics or age profiles of those brought before the courts later compared to those who have appeared so far.
4. the information released in this bulletin updates the previous analysis published on 24th October 2011.
5. when comparing sentences given for public disorder offences with sentences given for indictable offences in 2010 it is important to remember there was no widespread public disorder last year. Comparisons have been made with sentences for similar offence types in order to help set the sentences given in context.

Information on the background definitions and measurement can be found in the full report.

Executive Summary

The public disorder began on 6th August 2011. On 7th and 8th August 2011 there were further outbreaks of disorder mainly in London. On 9th August the incidents were mainly outside of London.

This publication presents court outcome information on those who have appeared before the court by midday 1st February for offences relating to the disorder of 6th to 9th August. The police and courts agreed whether an offence was related to the disorder and the courts then returned details of the case centrally to the Ministry of Justice statistics team.

It is important to note that none of the factors explored imply causality with the public disorder events, but provide a deeper background understanding of the characteristics of those brought before the courts. It is also the case that those brought before the courts may have different characteristics from those who took part and have yet to appear before the courts.

Cases by area

Of the 2,710 people who had appeared before the courts by midday on 1st February 2012:

• London – 1,896 first hearings
• West Midlands – 301 first hearings
• Nottingham – 64 first hearings
• Greater Manchester – 240 first hearings
• Merseyside – 92 first hearings
• Other areas – 117 first hearings

Gender, Age and Ethnicity

By midday on 1st February, 2,710 people had appeared before the courts for these offences. Of those brought before the courts 89 per cent were male and 11 per cent were female and the proportions are broadly similar across all areas. This compares with all first hearings for indictable offences in 2010 where 85 per cent were male and 15 per cent female.

Comparisons by age show that 27 per cent of those brought before the courts for offences relating to the public disorder were aged 10-17 (juveniles) and that a further 26 per cent were aged 18-20. Only six per cent of those appearing before the courts for the disorder were over 40 years old.

This is a different distribution compared to all those appearing before the courts for similar offences in 2010 when the proportion of juveniles was 16 per cent, the proportion of 18-20 year olds was 15 per cent and 15 per cent of offenders were over 40.

The details by area show different results with those appearing before the courts in London, West Midlands and Greater Manchester having fewer juveniles than those in other areas. The figures for each area were:

• London – 25 per cent were juveniles and five per cent were over 40

• West Midlands – 29 per cent were juveniles and nine per cent were over 40
• Nottingham – 39 per cent were juveniles none were aged over 40
• Greater Manchester – 27 per cent were juveniles and 11 per cent were over 40
• Merseyside – 38 per cent were juveniles and four per cent were over 40
• Other areas – 33 per cent were juveniles and three per cent were over 40

Comparisons of the data collected on self defined ethnicity (where ethnicity was recorded¹) show that 41 per cent of those brought before the courts identified themselves as being from the White group, 39 per cent from the Black ethnic group, 12 per cent the Mixed ethnic group, six per cent the Asian ethnic group, and two percent the Chinese or Other ethnic group.

Progress through the criminal justice system

The first stage of the court process is for those accused to have a first hearing at magistrates’ courts. 2,710 people had appeared before the court by midday on 1st February 2012 for offences relating to the public disorder. Of these, 1,789 (66 per cent) have reached a final outcome.

The offences for which people were most commonly brought before the court were Burglary (49 per cent), violent disorder (21 per cent), theft (16 per cent), robbery (two per cent), criminal damage (two per cent). The remaining offences covered small numbers of a wide range of offences.

As of midday 1st February 2012, there have been 1,483 persons found guilty and sentenced for their part in the disorder, 55 per cent of the 2,710 people brought before the courts so far. Of those sentenced, 945 have been sentenced to immediate custody with an average custodial sentence length of 14.2 months. This compares to an average custodial sentence length of 3.7 months for those convicted at magistrates’ courts, but sentenced at any court for similar offences in 2010.

The proportion of offenders sentenced who received an immediate custody sentence for offences related to the public disorder at magistrates’ courts was 37 per cent. This compares with 12 per cent for offenders sentenced for similar offences in England and Wales in 2010. The average custodial sentence length for offences related to the public disorder at magistrates’ courts was 6.4 months. This compares with 2.5 months for offenders sentenced for similar offences in England and Wales 2010. This difference is mainly down to the average custodial sentence lengths (ACSL) given for burglary, with offenders sentenced for the public disorder receiving 7.2 months, compared with 4.4 months for those sentenced in England and Wales in 2010, and theft and handling, which had 4.6 months compared to 2.0 months in 2010. Juveniles sentenced to immediate custody for burglary have an ACSL of 7.8 months and for adults it was 5.3 months – this includes two offenders given two consecutive six month sentences.

At the Crown Court, 827 people have been sentenced of whom 701 (85 per cent) received immediate custodial sentences. The average custodial sentence length was 16.9 months compared with 11.3 months in England and Wales in 2010 for cases which were sent for sentencing. Fifty six per cent of the sentenced offenders were sentenced at the Crown Court.

Iain Bell                     
Chief Statistician     
Ministry of Justice