custody photos of convicts

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/25/8465

Version Date: 25/07/2025

The Corporate Communications Department have provided the following information.

By stipulating ‘convicts’ we have limited the answers to mugshots of individuals convicted of criminal offences in court.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, I am requesting the force's policy on the issue of custody photos of convicts.

Specifically:
1) Are custody photos published on the force's web site?

Yes. Some mugshots can accompany media releases following the conclusion of criminal cases which we publish on the force website

Devon & Cornwall Police News - Devon & Cornwall Police

There is also a dedicated ‘Court and Convicted’

Filtered Search - Devon & Cornwall Police

Do they remain there indefinitely?.

All content published on these pages should be automatically removed after a year.

2) Are there restrictions on who custody photos are made available to? Can any member of the public request them? Can press organisations?

The Corporate Communications Department/Media Team can publish custody photos to the news section of the website as above, or provide them upon request to accredited journalists and media organisations only.

Our remit is limited strictly to journalists/media organisations and a request form must be completed with certain details provided.

Media Office - Mugshot Request Form - Devon & Cornwall Police

3) What criteria are used in determining the release/publication of a custody photo of a person charged with/convicted of an offence? Is there a minimum sentence length requirement for photo publication? Please include every requirement in your response.

Police custody photographs of people convicted of criminal offences at court can be issued to the media providing certain criteria are met. All requests for custody photographs should be directed to the Media Team.

Journalists must provide the following details when requesting an image:

• The offender’s full name
• The offender’s address
• The offender’s date of birth
• Details of the offence
• Length of prison sentence (12+ months)

A custody picture will be issued when there is a legitimate policing purpose, and it is in the public interest as part of an open and accountable criminal justice system.

In general, the Media Team will release a photograph if the defendant is over 18 (at the time of sentencing) and has been given a custodial sentence of 12 months or more.

Photographs of convicted offenders are issued on the strict basis that they are used only in connection with the story that prompted the request for the picture. They are not for use as library images.

There is also a bespoke decision-making process in place, where a custodial sentence does not meet the threshold, to consider the proactive release of custody photos in relation to Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBO).

The criteria are:

• Assist in preventing breach of the CBO

• Make the public aware of the CBO so they can assist with intel as required.
• Demonstrate to businesses and the public the proactive and preventative steps D&C Police takes against offenders.
• Show that shoplifting will not be ignored, and action can and will be taken.
• Increase public confidence in local policing, both from the public and local businesses.

These mugshots can go to local news media – those with dedicated local channels – with the advice they can use the image in print publication.

Neighbourhood policing teams can use on their own digital channels as they have a dedicated local audience.

The Operational Communications Senior Manager signs off any release and mugshot being issued.