Sexual offences and VRR
Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/25/008669/M
Version Date: 04/09/2025
The Performance & Analysis Department and the Criminal Justice Unit has provided the following information.
Data Processing for Questions 1 and 2:
Crimes recorded on crime information system – NICHE
Qlik Sense Report: Crimes and Outcomes
No Crimes: Included
Filter Offence Group: Rape, Other Sexual Offences
Offence Description: "Attempt" or "Conspire" results removed
Filtered Date: 1st Jan 2024 - 31st July 2025
Data Limitations:
- All data relies on correct and consistent documentation.
- Sexual Assault and Sexual Assault by Penetration are split by searching for the key word 'Penetration' within 'Sexual Assault' word search results in Offence Description
It relates to a no further action decision following a report of rape or sexual assault.
Please note there are three parts to my request.
1. In the time period 1 January 2024 up to 31 July 2025, how many (a) rape investigations, (b) sexual assault by penetration investigations and (c) sexual assault investigations were carried out by your force. Please provide the data per offence, e.g. 1 rape; 2 sexual assault by penetration; 3 sexual assaults.
|
Count of Rape, Sexual Assault and Sexual Assault by penetration (1st Jan 2024 - 31st July 2025) |
Count |
|
Rape |
4246 |
|
Sexual Assault |
3885 |
|
Sexual Assault by penetration |
599 |
|
Total |
8730 |
- In the time period 1 January 2024 up to 31 July 2025, how many (a) rape investigations, (b) sexual assault by penetration investigations and (c) sexual assault investigations resulted in no further action at the point of the evidence being reviewed by the reviewing/supervising officer. Please provide the data per offence, e.g. 1 rape; 2 sexual assault by penetration; 3 sexual assaults.
Please note that we have provided all outcomes so that the requester can make their own decision on which outcomes are relevant.
|
Outcome Home Office Description |
Rape |
Sexual Assault |
Sexual Assault by Penetration |
Total |
|
1: Charged |
69 |
58 |
10 |
137 |
|
1: Summonsed/postal requisition |
12 |
22 |
1 |
35 |
|
10: Police - formal action not in public interest |
3 |
12 |
2 |
17 |
|
11: Named suspect below age of criminal responsibility |
11 |
68 |
9 |
88 |
|
12: Named suspect identified but is dead or too ill (physical or mental health) to prosecute |
20 |
33 |
2 |
55 |
|
13: Named suspect but victim/key witness deceased or too ill |
18 |
8 |
1 |
27 |
|
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender |
349 |
251 |
30 |
630 |
|
15: CPS - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
12 |
21 |
1 |
34 |
|
15: Police - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
468 |
788 |
87 |
1,343 |
|
16: Victim declines/withdraws support - named suspect identified |
1,531 |
1,131 |
194 |
2,856 |
|
17: Suspect identified but prosecution time limit expired |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
255 |
434 |
26 |
715 |
|
2: Youth caution |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
2: Youth conditional caution |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
20: Other body/agency has investigation primacy |
20 |
67 |
5 |
92 |
|
21: Police - named suspect, investigation not in the public interest |
6 |
34 |
3 |
43 |
|
22: Diversionary, educational or intervention activity, has been undertaken and there is no public interest to continue |
3 |
16 |
1 |
20 |
|
3: Adult caution |
0 |
13 |
1 |
14 |
|
5: Offender has died |
14 |
12 |
4 |
30 |
|
8: Community resolution |
0 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
8: Youth restorative disposal |
0 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
9: CPS - prosecution not in public interest |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
C1: Transferred crime |
176 |
105 |
11 |
292 |
|
C2: Cancelled - additional verifiable info |
59 |
66 |
7 |
132 |
|
C3: Cancelled - duplicate/part recorded crime |
163 |
79 |
21 |
263 |
|
C4: Cancelled - crime recorded in error |
34 |
45 |
5 |
84 |
|
New |
1,015 |
603 |
174 |
1,792 |
|
NONE - No Cancel/Transfer Reason Recorded |
7 |
9 |
2 |
18 |
|
Total |
4,246 |
3,885 |
599 |
8,730 |
- In the time period 1 January 2024 up to 31 July 2025, how many (a) rape investigations, (b) sexual assault by penetration investigations and (c) sexual assault investigations in which the outcome was to take no further action, how many of those decisions were appealed by way of the victim asking for the case to be reviewed. (VRR process). Please provide the data per offence, e.g. 1 rape; 2 sexual assault by penetration; 3 sexual assaults.
- Rape - 87
- Sexual Assault by Penetration - 8
- Sexual Assault - 40