Official Statistics

Statistical bulletin on the public disorder of 6th-9th August 2011

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

Documents

Statistical bulletin on the public disorder of 6th to 9th August 2011 - September 2012 update

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Public disorder of 6th-9th August 2011 statistical tables - September 2012

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Details

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

Introduction

The following section provides updated information on those brought before the courts for offences related to the public disorder of 6th to 9th August 2011. Information is provided on those individuals brought before the courts; their initial outcomes and sentencing based on data available by 10th August 2012. When reading this section 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 related to the disorder on a regular 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. In this bulletin comparisons have been made with proceedings in 2010 covering similar offence types seen in the disorder, such as burglary, theft and violent disorder, to provide context to the sentences given;
  5. The information released in this bulletin updates the previous analysis published on 28 June 2012; in addition information has been provided in this update on previous criminal history.

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.

The following presents court information on those who have appeared before the courts by 10th August 2012 for offences related to the disorder of 6th to 9th August 2011. 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 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 3,103 people who appeared before the courts by 10th August 2012 proceedings were held in the following areas:

  • London - 2,246 first hearings
  • West Midlands - 334 first hearings
  • Greater Manchester - 249 first hearings
  • Merseyside - 93 first hearings
  • Nottingham - 64 first hearings
  • Other areas - 117 first hearings

Gender, Age and Ethnicity

Of the 3,103 people brought before the courts by 10th August 2012, 89 per cent were male and 11 per cent were female. Compared to 2010, for all first hearings for indictable offences, 85 per cent were male and 15 per cent were female.

Of those brought before the courts for offences related to the public disorder, 27 per cent were aged 10-17 (juveniles) and a further 26 per cent were aged 18-20. Only five per cent of those appearing before the courts for the disorder were aged 40 or over.

This is different to the age distribution of 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 the proportion aged 40 or over was 15 percent.

Breakdowns by area show different age profiles for those appearing before the courts:

  • London - 26 per cent were juveniles and four per cent were 40 or over
  • West Midlands - 29 per cent were juveniles and eight per cent were 40 or over
  • Greater Manchester - 29 per cent were juveniles and 11 per cent were 40 or over Nottingham - 39 per cent were juveniles none were aged 40 or over
  • Merseyside - 39 per cent were juveniles and four per cent were 40 or over
  • Other areas - 33 per cent were juveniles and three per cent were 40 or over

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 ethnic group, 39 per cent from the black ethnic group, 12 per cent from the mixed ethnic group, seven per cent from the Asian ethnic group, and two per cent from the Chinese or other ethnic group.

Progress through the criminal justice system

Court Proceedings

The first stage of the court process is for those accused to have a first hearing at magistrates’ courts. 3,103 people had appeared before the court by 10th August 2012 for offences related to the public disorder. Of these, 2,646 (85 per cent) have reached a final outcome.

The offences for which people were most commonly brought before the court were burglary (50 per cent), violent disorder (21 per cent) and theft (15 per cent). The remaining offences covered small numbers of a wide range of offences.

As of 10th August 2012, there had been 2,138 persons found guilty and sentenced for their part in the disorder, 69 per cent of the 3,103 people brought before the courts so far. An additional 16 per cent were dismissed or acquitted. Of those sentenced, 1,405 (66 per cent) have been sentenced to immediate custody with an average custodial sentence length (ACSL) of 17.1 months. This compares to an ACSL of 3.7 months for those convicted at magistrates’ courts, but sentenced at any court for similar offences in England and Wales in 2010.

Of the 2,138 persons sentenced, 742 (35 per cent) were sentenced at the magistrates’ court, of which 268 (36 per cent) received an immediate custodial sentence for offences related to the public disorder. This compares with 12 per cent of offenders sentenced for similar offences in England and Wales in 2010. The ACSL for offences related to the public disorder given at magistrates’ courts was 6.6 months. This compares with 2.5 months for offenders sentenced for similar offences in England and Wales in 2010. This difference was mainly down to the ACSL given for violent disorder, with offenders sentenced for the public disorder receiving 7.7 months compared to 3.1 months for those sentenced in England and Wales in 2010; burglary, with offenders sentenced for the public disorder receiving 7.2 months, compared to 4.4 months for those sentenced in England and Wales in 2010; and theft and handling, with offenders sentenced for the public disorder receiving 4.6 months, compared to 2.0 months for those sentenced in England and Wales in 2010.

Of the 2,138 persons sentenced, 1,396 (65 per cent) were sentenced at the Crown Court, of which 1,137 (81 per cent) received immediate custodial sentences with an ACSL of 19.6 months. This compares to an ACSL of 11.3 months for offenders committed for sentence at the Crown Court for similar offences in England and Wales in 2010.

As at 31st August 2012 there were 606 offenders in prison (including remands) for offences related to the public disorder and a further 837 who were given custodial sentences had already been released from prison.

For the 2,826 (91%) defendants that could be matched with the Police National Computer (PNC):

  • Overall 78 per cent of those who have appeared before the courts for offences related to the public disorder had a previous caution or conviction;
  • 83 per cent of adults and 64 per cent of juveniles had a previous caution or conviction. John Marais

Acting Chief Statistician

Ministry of Justice

For 395 of the 3,103 defendants self-defined ethnicity was recorded as not stated or unknown (13 per cent of defendants).

Published 13 September 2012