Malicious Communications
Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FIN/25/004038/X
Version Date: 30/12/2025
The Performance Development Department has provided the following information:
From all arrests in the calendar year 2024 recorded by Dorset Police, where either of the following offences is recorded on the custody record (whether as the main or a secondary offence):
- Section 127(1) Communications Act 2003
- Section 1 Malicious Communications Act 1988
please select up to 40 arrests using a neutral method (for example, a simple random selection or, if that is not practicable, the first 40 eligible arrests by date in 2024).
For each arrest in that sample, please provide:
1. An anonymised reference (e.g. A1, A2, A3 etc.)
2. The date of the arrest (month and year only, e.g. May 2024)
3. Which of the above offences is recorded (s.127(1) Communications Act 2003, s.1 Malicious Communications Act 1988, or both)
4. The existing short "offence summary" / "crime summary" / "custody record description" / "modus operandi (MO)" text (or equivalent field) that describes the communication or conduct
I am not seeking any direct identifiers. In particular, I do not require:
- Names of suspects, victims or witnesses
- Exact addresses or postcodes
- Dates of birth
- Exact times of day
I am content for you to redact or generalise any information you consider necessary to prevent individuals from being identifiable (e.g. replacing names with "[male]", "[female]" etc.). If, after attempted redaction, you consider that a particular record still cannot be anonymised adequately, I am content for you to simply omit that record from the sample and instead include another eligible arrest.
In order to remain within the cost limit, this request is deliberately limited to 2024 and a maximum of 40 arrests.
Please note that all recorded arrests have been included. There were 22 arrests covering 23 offences.
|
Reference |
Month |
Year |
Offence CJS code |
Offence Wording |
Occurrence Summary |
|
A1 |
July |
2024 |
CA03006 |
Cause to be sent by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
Reports of DA with ex |
|
A2 |
April |
2024 |
CA03006 |
Cause to be sent by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
Accusing male of sex trafficking son |
|
A3 |
February |
2024 |
MT88007 |
Send letter / communication / article conveying a threatening message |
DA threats |
|
A4 |
September |
2024 |
CA03006 |
Cause to be sent by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
Death of Female |
|
A5 |
April |
2024 |
CA03005 |
Send by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
|
|
A6 |
June |
2024 |
MT88006 |
Send letter / communication / article conveying indecent / offensive message |
DA harassment and mal-comms |
|
A7 |
February |
2024 |
CA03006 |
Cause to be sent by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
Male A - Received Mal Comms from Male B |
|
A8 |
May |
2024 |
CA03006 |
Cause to be sent by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
Ongoing harassment |
|
A9 |
November |
2024 |
CA03006 |
Cause to be sent by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
Mal comms via Snapchat Male A XXyrs on Male B XXyrs |
|
A10 |
April |
2024 |
CA03005 |
Send by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
Breach of RO - |
|
A11 |
March |
2024 |
CA03009 |
Persistently make use of public communication network to cause annoyance / inconvenience / anxiety |
Misuse of 999 system |
|
A12 |
October |
2024 |
MT88005 |
Send communication / article of an indecent / offensive nature |
Child neglect and Mal coms. Suspect charged. |
|
A13 |
May |
2024 |
CA03009 |
Persistently make use of public communication network to cause annoyance / inconvenience / anxiety |
Arrested for persistently calling 999 |
|
A14 |
August |
2024 |
CA03005 |
Send by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
Daughter in danger |
|
A15 |
February |
2024 |
CA03005 |
Send by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
Harassment by male |
|
A16 |
September |
2024 |
CA03005 |
Send by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
DA harassment/mal comms |
|
A17 |
September |
2024 |
MT88005 |
Send communication / article of an indecent / offensive nature |
DA harassment/mal comms |
|
A18 |
December |
2024 |
MT88005 |
Send communication / article of an indecent / offensive nature |
Stalking from ex partner |
|
A19 |
September |
2024 |
CA03005 |
Send by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
Domestic in the street |
|
A20 |
November |
2024 |
MT88005 |
Send communication / article of an indecent / offensive nature |
TTK/mal coms |
|
A21 |
November |
2024 |
CA03005 |
Send by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
Threats to burn house down |
|
A22 |
December |
2024 |
MT88005 |
Send communication / article of an indecent / offensive nature |
Threats \ DA |
|
A23 |
November |
2024 |
CA03005 |
Send by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter |
DA threats |