PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Prostitution: Prosecutions (10 July 2014)

To ask the Attorney General, in how many Crown Prosecution Service prosecutions of prostitution offences in 2013-14 the accused was an (a) alleged prostitute, (b) alleged pimp or brothel-keeper and (c) individual accused of seeking or using the services of a prostitute.

Asked by:
Emily Thornberry (Labour)

In 2013-14, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) records indicate that there were 55 charges for the offence of keeping a brothel, contrary to sections 33-36 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 which reached a first hearing in the magistrates court. This does not indicate the number of individuals prosecuted as a defendant may be charged with more than one offence.

CPS have no record of any prosecutions in 2013-14 under Section 53A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, as amended by Section 14 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009, which enables individuals accused of seeking or using the services of a prostitute to be prosecuted.

To obtain further details of the number of cases in which defendants were alleged to be prostitutes, pimps or brothel keepers, would require a manual review of individual case files which could only be undertaken at a disproportionate cost.

Answered by:
Sir Robert Buckland (Conservative)
21 July 2014