PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Human Trafficking (17 June 2014)

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were (a) prosecuted for, (b) convicted of, (c) cautioned for and (d) given a non-custodial sentence for human trafficking offences in each year since 2008.

Asked by:
Emily Thornberry (Labour)

Severe maximum penalties are available for serious offences. Where an offender is prosecuted and convicted, sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the courts, taking account of all the circumstances of each case. This will include the seriousness of the offence, including all aggravating and mitigating factors, and a guilty plea.

Since 2010, crime has continued to fall. At the same time offenders are more likely to be sent to prison and for longer.

The number of offenders cautioned and defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty and sentenced at all courts for offences related to human trafficking, in England and Wales, from 2008 to 2013, can be viewed in the table.

Offenders cautioned and defendants proceeded against at magistrates' court, found guilty and sentenced at all courts for 'human trafficking' offences (1), England and Wales 2008 to 2013 (2)(3)(4)
Outcome	2008 (5)	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Cautions	2	-	-	1	-	-
Proceeded against	61	47	30	21	29	36
Found guilty	24	25	16	8	12	19
Sentenced	24	25	16	8	12	19
of which
Absolute discharge	-	-	-	-	-	-
Conditional discharge	-	-	-	-	-	-
Fine	-	-	-	-	-	-
Community sentence	-	-	-	-	-	-
Suspended sentence	1	2	1	-	-	-
Immediate custody	23	23	15	8	12	18
Otherwise dealt with (6)	-	-	-	-	-	1
'-' = Nil
(1) Offences under Section 4(1) to 4(3) of the Asylum and Immigration (treatment of Claimants Act 2004 and S 57 - 59 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003
(2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for or found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
(3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
(4) The number of offenders sentenced can differ from those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty in a particular year, and committed for sentence at the Crown Court, may be sentenced in the following year.
(5) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates' court for April, July and August 2008.
(6) The category Otherwise Dealt With (ODW) includes: one day in police cells; disqualification order; restraining order; confiscation order; travel restriction order; disqualification from driving; recommendation for deportation; and other miscellaneous disposals.
Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.
Ref: PQ 201068

Answered by:
Sir Jeremy Wright (Conservative)
24 June 2014