To ask the Scottish Executive how many people prosecuted in 2007-08 for handling an offensive weapon had a criminal record at the time of prosecution, broken down by (a) police force area and (b) most recent offence.
There were 4,041 persons proceeded against in Scottish Courts for handling an offensive weapon in 2007-08. This relates to 3,874 individuals, as some people have been proceeded against on more than one occasion.
Information about whether or nor individuals had a criminal record at the time of prosecution is not held centrally. However, the following table shows the number of these individuals who had a previous charge proved in court at least once in the previous 10 years. The previous charge has been identified as having a date of sentence which is earlier than the date of sentence for the latest charge of handling an offensive weapon.
The source of this information is the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database, which is derived from data held on the Criminal History System. Prosecution in court is only one of a range of possible options for dealing with an individual who has been charged with an offence. Other actions include the use of fiscal warnings, diversion to social work, fixed penalty notices and fiscal fines. However, these alternatives to court prosecution are not currently held on the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database and are not included in the following data provided.
Number of individuals proceeded against for handling an offensive weapon1,2 in 2007-2008 who had a previous charge3 proved in court, by Police Force and by main crime4 for that offence:
| Police Force |
Central | Dumfries and Galloway | Fife | Grampian | Lothian and Borders | Northern | Strathclyde | Tayside | Scotland |
Number of Individuals |
All Crimes | Non-Sexual Crimes of Violence | Homicide | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | 4 |
Serious assault & attempted murder | 5 | 1 | - | 2 | 6 | 3 | 39 | 2 | 58 |
Robbery | 2 | - | 1 | - | 4 | - | 24 | 2 | 33 |
Other | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 9 | - | 12 |
Crimes of Indecency | Indecent assault | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 3 |
Lewd & indecent behaviour | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 2 |
Other | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 5 | - | 6 |
Crimes of Dishonesty | Housebreaking | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 14 | - | 37 | 4 | 64 |
Theft by opening a lockfast place | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 31 |
Theft of/from a motor vehicle | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | 17 | 7 | 33 |
Shoplifting | 10 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 24 | 1 | 115 | 15 | 190 |
Other theft | 4 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 43 | 11 | 87 |
Fraud | - | - | 3 | 1 | 2 | - | 9 | 1 | 16 |
Other | - | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 31 |
Fire-Raising, Vandalism, etc | Fire-raising | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 4 | - | 6 |
Vandalism etc | 14 | 5 | 9 | 17 | 16 | 9 | 77 | 4 | 151 |
Other Crimes | Crimes against public justice | 16 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 30 | 3 | 153 | 20 | 247 |
Handling an offensive weapon | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 16 | 5 | 158 | 7 | 202 |
Drugs | 12 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 23 | 10 | 200 | 12 | 281 |
Other | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 4 | - | 7 |
All offences | Miscellaneous Offences | Common assault | 21 | 11 | 16 | 9 | 42 | 13 | 217 | 19 | 348 |
Breach of the peace | 28 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 32 | 9 | 307 | 27 | 431 |
Drunkenness | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | - | 4 |
Other | 8 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 130 | 4 | 162 |
Motor Vehicle Offences | Dangerous & careless driving | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 26 | 2 | 44 |
Drunk driving | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 3 | 60 | 3 | 91 |
Speeding | 1 | 1 | . | 3 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 31 |
Unlawful use of vehicle | 14 | 5 | 15 | 10 | 27 | 3 | 135 | 18 | 227 |
Vehicle defect offences | 2 | - | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 20 |
Other | 1 | 3 | - | 2 | 8 | - | 15 | 2 | 31 |
All | | | 148 | 67 | 98 | 139 | 303 | 80 | 1,841 | 177 | 2,853 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Notes:
1. Where main offence
2. Handling an offensive weapon covers the crime categories possession of an offensive weapon, restriction of an offensive weapon and having in a public place an article with a blade or point.
3. Where there was more than one previous charge the most recent was selected.
4. The crime categories used are the same as in the Criminal Proceedings in Scottish Courts Statistical Bulletin.