FOI 1024/24 Communications Act Arrests
Dear Sir/Madam,
Enquiry Reference: 1024 - 24
I write in connection with regards to your Freedom of Information request. Below is your request and our response.
I would like to know how many arrests you made under Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 in the following years: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and the first nine months of 2024. Please can you provide separate figures for each year.
- a) The below figures relate to the below offences:
Send by public communication network an offensive/indecent/obscene/menacing message/matter – Contrary to section 127(1)(a) and (3) of the Communications Act 2003.
Cause to be sent by public communication network an offensive/indecent/obscene/menacing message/matter - Contrary to section 127(1)(b) and (3) of the Communications Act 2003.
Cause to be sent by public communication network a false message to cause annoyance/inconvenience/anxiety - Contrary to section 127(2)(b) and (3) of the Communications Act 2003.
Persistently make use of public communication network to cause annoyance/inconvenience/anxiety - Contrary to section 127(2)(c) and (3) of the Communications Act 2003.
2019 – 17
2020 – 24
2021 – 19
2022 – 32
2023 – 59
2024 – 29
In a separate table, please can you provide the number of arrests you made under Section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988, over the same time period and in the same year-by-year breakdown.
- a) The below figures relate to the below offences:
Send communication / article of an indecent / offensive nature - Contrary to section 1(1)(b) and (4) of the Malicious Communications Act 1988.
Send letter / communication / article conveying indecent / offensive message - Contrary to section 1(1)(a) and (4) of the Malicious Communications Act 1988.
Send letter / communication / article conveying a threatening message - Contrary to section 1(1)(a) and (4) of the Malicious Communications Act 1988.
Send letter / communication / article conveying false information - Contrary to section 1(1)(a) and (4) of the Malicious Communications Act 1988.
2019 – 11
2020 – 41
2021 – 51
2022 – 35
2023 – 32
2024 – 11
Having made enquiries within the Force the analyst has provided the above. We only have data since 2019. To trace the legislation, we have looked up the CJS codes and then looked to see what arrests were made under the power. Above lists the CJS codes used and the number of arrests per year since 2019 and 2024 relates from 1st Jan to 28th Oct 2024. Please note that all statistical data supplied in relation to Freedom of Information requests is a snapshot of data held at the time the request was received by the Freedom of Information office and is subject to constant change/updates.
The Cleveland Police response to your request is unique and it should be noted that Police Forces do not use generic systems or identical procedures to capture and record data therefore responses from Cleveland Police should not be used as a comparison with any other force response you receive.
If you are not satisfied with this response or any actions taken in dealing with your request, you have the right to request an independent internal review of your case under our review procedure. The Freedom of Information Code of Practice (see below link) states that a request for internal review should be made within 20 working days of the date on this response or 40 working days if extenuating circumstances to account for the delay can be evidenced. Public authorities are not obliged to accept internal reviews after this date.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-code-of-practice
Yours sincerely
Information Rights Decision Maker