FOI 593/25 Out of court disposals
Date: 24/06/25
Enquiry Reference: 593-25
I write in connection with regards to your Freedom of Information request. Below is your request and our response.
Please disclose, since January 1 2023, the use of out-of-court disposals for the following offences.
* Possessing indecent images (any category)
* Making indecent images (any category)
* Distributing indecent images (any category)
For each of those three categories, please breakdown each offence by the method of disposal.
For example, how many were issues a caution, how many issues with a Community Resolution Order, and how many received NFA.
The crimes typed searched;
086/02 - Take or make indecent photographs of children
086/10 - Possession of indecent photo of child
- Below are the crime types by year and outcome type grouped.
|
Crime Class |
|
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
086/02 - Take or make indecent photographs of children |
Solved outcomes |
38 |
34 |
6 |
|
|
Out of court disposals |
20 |
22 |
19 |
|
|
All other disposals |
565 |
470 |
179 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
086/10 - Possession of indecent photo of child |
Solved outcomes |
10 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
Out of court disposals |
2 |
|
|
|
|
All other disposals |
49 |
43 |
5 |
- The below is broken down further by grouped and each outcome per year.
|
Crime Class |
Grouped outcome |
Outcome |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
086/02 - Take or make indecent photographs of children |
Solved outcomes |
1: Charged |
28 |
27 |
6 |
|
|
|
1: Summonsed/postal requisition |
9 |
7 |
|
|
|
|
1A: Alternate offence charged |
1 |
|
|
|
|
Out of court disposals |
2A: Alternate offence youth caution |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
8: Community resolution |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
22: Diversionary, educational or intervention activity, not in public interest to take further action |
19 |
20 |
19 |
|
|
All other disposals |
5: Offender has died |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
10: Police - formal action not in public interest |
12 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
11: Named suspect below age of criminal responsibility |
19 |
14 |
4 |
|
|
|
12: Named suspect too ill to prosecute |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender |
6 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
15: CPS - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
2 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
15: Police - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
131 |
121 |
24 |
|
|
|
16: Victim declines/withdraws support - named suspect identified |
5 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
52 |
49 |
23 |
|
|
|
20: Other body/agency has investigation primacy |
7 |
8 |
1 |
|
|
|
21: Police - named suspect, investigation not in the public interest |
330 |
269 |
125 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
086/10 - Possession of indecent photo of child |
Solved outcomes |
1: Charged |
9 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
1: Summonsed/postal requisition |
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
1A: Alternate offence summonsed/postal requisition |
1 |
|
|
|
|
Out of court disposals |
2: Youth conditional caution |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
22: Diversionary, educational or intervention activity, not in public interest to take further action |
1 |
|
|
|
|
All other disposals |
5: Offender has died |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
10: Police - formal action not in public interest |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
11: Named suspect below age of criminal responsibility |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
15: CPS - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
15: Police - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
11 |
13 |
1 |
|
|
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
20: Other body/agency has investigation primacy |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
21: Police - named suspect, investigation not in the public interest |
28 |
26 |
4 |
Having made enquiries within the Force above is all the information we hold. 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