Stalking

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 24/1568

Version Date: 19/04/2024

The Legal Services Department, Performance Analysis and Public Protection Departments have provided the following information.

1. How many offences of stalking were recorded by your police force between: 1st April 2021 – 31st March 2022? And 1st April 2022 – 31st March 2023?
   
   

	21/22	22/23
Stalking involving fear of violence	232	273
Stalking involving serious alarm / distress	415	443
Stalking without fear / alarm / distress	594	594
Total	1,241	1,310

 

2. Of the offences recorded as one of the 3 stalking offences between 01/04/22 - 31/03/23, how many outcome 1A outcomes are recorded where the alternative offence recorded is either s2 harassment or s4 harassment (putting people in fear of violence)?
   
   
3. Of the offences recorded as one of the 3 stalking offences between 01/04/22 - 31/03/23, how many outcome 1A outcomes are recorded where the alternative offence recorded is malicious communications?
   
   
4. Of the offences recorded as section 4a stalking offences between 01/04/22 - 31/03/23, how many outcome 1A outcomes are recorded where the alternative offence recorded is section 2a stalking?
   
   

The table below shows offences with an outcome of 1A. Alternate Offence

	21/22	22/23
Stalking involving fear of violence	10	8
Stalking involving serious alarm / distress	11	7
Stalking without fear / alarm / distress	12	6
Total	33	21

However, to determine what the alternative offence was would involve individually review all 54 case files

5. Of the offences recorded as one of the 3 stalking offences between 01/04/22 - 31/03/23, how many outcome 15B outcomes are recorded?
   
   

The table below shows offences with an outcome of 15. Evidential Difficulties

	21/22	22/23
Stalking involving fear of violence	57	84
Stalking involving serious alarm / distress	115	126
Stalking without fear / alarm / distress	151	161
Total	323	371

 

6. How many dedicated specialist stalking officers (i.e. where the officer’s time is wholly or solely reserved for the response, investigation, or management of stalking crimes) does you force currently have?
   
   

None

7. How many stalking Single Point of Contacts (SPOC) does your force have?
   
   

2 (1 x Tactical and 1 Strategic Stalking lead)

 

8. How many stalking SPO SPOCs does your force have?
   
   

We do not recognise the term ‘SPO SPOC’.

Dorset does have 2 vulnerability lawyers who work with officers from across the force to apply to the courts for SPOs.

 

9. In how many cases did your police force apply for one or more interim SPO between 01/04/22 - 31/03/23?    
   
   

Two

10. In how many cases did your police force apply for one or more full SPO between 01/04/22 - 31/03/23?    
    
    

Two

11. How many of those SPOs that your police force applied for between 01/04/22 - 31/03/23 ended up not being authorised by the superintendent and/or or not authorised by the police force legal services?
    
    

This information is not held.

12. How many of those SPOs that your police force applied for between 01/04/22 - 31/03/23 ended up being refused at court?
    
    

None

13. How many of the SPOs you applied for between 01/04/22 - 31/03/23 had positive requirements?
    
    

One interim SPO and one full SPO.

14. How many breaches of SPO crimes were recorded between 01/04/22 - 31/03/23? How many resulted in a charge?
    
    

This information is not held.