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Our reference: 01/FOI/24/005800/M
Date: 06/01/2025
I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 are you able to provide the following:
The total number of Offences across all affected cases, which couldn't be
Prosecuted/Considered for Prosecution, as the Statute of Limitations (for affected Offences) had lapsed. Please may I clarify here, if there have been cases in which multiple Offences couldn't be Prosecuted/Considered for Prosecution (due to Statutory Time Limits lapsing), please might it be possible to get the total number of Offences which couldn't be proceeded with.
I understand Statutory Time Limits may lapse during initial investigations, or, whilst cases are being reconsidered under (Police and CPS) Victim's Right to Review schemes - Please may I request figures for the total number of cases (by year, if possible) which couldn't be Prosecuted/Considered for Prosecution, due to Statutory Time Limits lapsing (regardless of the stage at which STLs may have lapsed).
Please might it be possible to request this information for the last 20 years?
In the interests of disclosure, my interest in the requested information stems from:
New, and proposed - Baroness Owen's Private Members' Bill - Offences recently inserted into/Proposed to be inserted into the Sexual Offences Act 2003, are affected by Statutory Time Limits - That this is occurring in a time where Police are already tasked with incredibly large, challenging workloads (which I express deep admiration for), raises concerns.
The Freedom of Information Act requires that this request is dealt with in a manner that is motive and applicant blind. A disclosure under this legislation is considered a disclosure to the world and is considered to be on the basis that it is in the public interest.
This response is unique to Humberside Police, and you are advised not to compare this like for like with any other force’s response you receive.
Humberside Police Response
Following liaison with the relevant departments, Humberside Police can confirm we hold some of the information you have requested.
Please note: we are unable to provide data from the last 20 years due to changes in systems. We can however provide the requested information from 2016 onwards.
The total number of Offences across all affected cases, which couldn't be Prosecuted/Considered for Prosecution, as the Statute of Limitations (for affected Offences) had lapsed. Please may I clarify here, if there have been cases in which multiple Offences couldn't be Prosecuted/Considered for Prosecution (due to Statutory Time Limits lapsing), please might it be possible to get the total number of Offences which couldn't be proceeded with.
I understand Statutory Time Limits may lapse during initial investigations, or, whilst cases are being reconsidered under (Police and CPS) Victim's Right to Review schemes - Please may I request figures for the total number of cases (by year, if possible) which couldn't be Prosecuted/Considered for Prosecution, due to Statutory Time Limits lapsing (regardless of the stage at which STLs may have lapsed).
From 1st January 2016 up until 30th November 2024, there were 1916 cases. Please see below table for the yearly breakdown.
Year |
Count |
2016 |
105 |
2017 |
203 |
2018 |
187 |
2019 |
204 |
2020 |
189 |
2021 |
275 |
2022 |
390 |
2023 |
270 |
2024 |
93 |
Grand Total |
1916 |
Please note that police forces in the United Kingdom are routinely required to provide information and statistics to government bodies and the recording criteria is set nationally. However, the systems used for recording these figures are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data. It should be noted that for these reasons this force’s response to your questions should not be used for the comparison purposes with any other response you may receive.
If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or 01482 578662.
Information Governance Unit
Humberside Police