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PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Animal Welfare: Convictions (30 June 2014)

Question Asked

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were convicted of animal abuse in England and Wales in 2013.

Asked by:
Andrew Rosindell (Conservative)

Answer

The number of offenders found guilty at all courts of offences under selected sections of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, together with the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 (excluding Section 13), in England and Wales, from 2009 to 2013 can be viewed in the table.

Offenders found guilty of selected offences, England and Wales, 2009 to 2013 (1)(2)

Offence20092010201120122013
Causing unnecessary suffering to animals (3)9028561,0101,1011,006
Offences relating to animal fights (4)9291314
Offences of cruelty to badgers and special protection for badgers and their setts (5)2624243126
(1) 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 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.
(2) 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.
(3) Offences under Section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006
(4) Offences under Section 8 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006
(5) Offences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, with the exception of Section 13
Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.
Ref: PQ 203178


Answered by:
Sir Jeremy Wright (Conservative)
8 July 2014

Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.