Malicious communications

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/25/008253/S

Version Date: 16/06/2025

The Performance & Analysis Department has provided the following information.

Data Source            

Force custody recording system - NSPIS/UNIFI/Niche Custody

Data processing
Qlikview UNIFI - Custody Date Report filtered on Arrest Date: 01/01/2015 – 14/11/2022
Filtered on the following offences:

• * Send false messabge by public electronic communication network to cause annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety
• Persitently make use of public communication network to cause annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety
• * Send by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscence / menacing message / matter
• Cause to be sent by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscence / menacing message / matter
• Cause to be sent by public communication network a false message to cause annoyance / inconvenience / anxiety
• * Send communication / article of an indecent / offensive nature
• * Sent letter / communcation / article conveying a threatening message
• Sent letter / communcation / article conveyingindecent / offensive message

Duplicates removed on Custody Reference Number to leave the number of arrests.

Qlicksense Detainee Management Report
Arrest Date Sheet
Brought down all arrests and Excel filtered on above offence descriptions
Excel filtered on Arrest Date: 15/11/2022 to 19/05/2025
Duplicates removed on Custody ID Number to leave the number of arrests.

Caveats/Limitations
Data relies on Offences being correctly recorded on Custody Records.

Note the change of recording system from 15/11/2022, from UNIFI to Niche.

Data in table shows the number of arrests made under section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 and Section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988 and not the number of offences. There may be more than one relevant offence linked to an arrest, these were removed when duplicates were removed from the data.

Note changes in legislation – the four offences marked with an asterisk above are not in force after 30/01/2024

Number of arrests made under section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 and Section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988. I would like the data in calendar years from 2015 until 2025.

Please note, 2025 data is up to 19/05/2025.