Outraging public decency
Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/26/010007/A
Version Date: 17/06/2026
The Performance & Analysis Department has provided the following information:
Data Source:
Crime information system – Niche
Data Processing:
QlikSense - Crime & Outcomes
Filtered by:
Home Office Code: 066/21
Crimed Date: 01/01/2025 - 31/12/2025
"Keyword Search:
sex, sexual
masturbating, masturbation, masturbate
Inputted ""mast"" which resulted in finding incorrect spellings of: masterbating, masterbation, masterbate"
Data Limitations/Caveats:
Data is reliant on the accurate recording of the incident address/location. MO Location is manually selected by an Officer and therefore may be missing or subjective.
The data uses the "Principal Crime Rule" - therefore only occurrences whereby this is the main offence have been returned. There may be additional offences but to find these would make the request over the 18-hour fee limit.
The presence of a keyword only indicates its presence in the MO or Summary text.
I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act to request the following information about having sex in a public place under the offence of outraging public decency in 2025.
1. The area (streets/parks/gardens/cemeteries/toilets/etc ) in Devon & Cornwall where the most people have been stopped for having sex/masturbating in a public place. Please specify the number of people that have been stopped in each place
|
MO Location |
Total |
|
Commercial - Car park (open air) - Car park level |
2 |
|
Commercial - Car park (open air) - Doorstep |
2 |
|
Commercial - Car park (open air) - Other |
1 |
|
Commercial - Car park (open air) - Outside storage |
1 |
|
Dwelling - Flat - Bedroom |
1 |
|
Dwelling - Flat - Hallway |
1 |
|
Dwelling - Holiday home - Balcony |
1 |
|
Dwelling - House - Balcony |
1 |
|
Dwelling - House - Driveway |
1 |
|
Dwelling - House - Garden |
3 |
|
Dwelling - Other (dwelling) |
1 |
|
Education - School - Other |
2 |
|
Hospitality - Hotel/motel - Other |
1 |
|
Hospitality - Public house - Whole building |
1 |
|
Leisure - Cinema/theatre - Other |
1 |
|
Leisure - Skate park/BMX - Other |
1 |
|
Medical - Hospital - Other |
1 |
|
Moving vehicle - Bus/coach - Other |
2 |
|
Moving vehicle - Car - Other |
1 |
|
Not Recorded |
19 |
|
Public building - Prison - Other |
1 |
|
Public building - Public toilet |
1 |
|
Public building - Public toilet - Garden |
1 |
|
Public building - Youth club - Other |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Beach |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Beach - Other |
4 |
|
Public/open place - Bus stop - Other |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Car park (open air) - Car park level |
2 |
|
Public/open place - Car park (open air) - Lorry park |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Car park (open air) - Other |
6 |
|
Public/open place - Cemetery |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Churchyard - Yard |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Field - Other |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Field - Special event/festival |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Footpath/bridleway - Other |
3 |
|
Public/open place - Lay-by - Other |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Other open space - Other |
2 |
|
Public/open place - Park/garden |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Park/garden - Other |
4 |
|
Public/open place - Park/garden - Picnic area |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Park/garden - Yard |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Pavement - Other |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Street/road |
5 |
|
Public/open place - Street/road - Car park level |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Street/road - Childrens play area |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Street/road - Other |
28 |
|
Public/open place - Street/road - Outbuilding |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Street/road - Telephone box/kiosk |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Woods |
1 |
|
Shop - Supermarket - Car park level |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
120 |
- The number of people that were arrested for outraging public decency. Please also specify the outcome (how many of those were charged, no further action etc)
|
Outcome |
Total |
|
1: Charged |
15 |
|
1: Summonsed/postal requisition |
1 |
|
12: Named suspect identified but is dead or too ill (physical or mental health) to prosecute |
1 |
|
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender |
4 |
|
15: Police - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
34 |
|
16: Victim declines/withdraws support - named suspect identified |
2 |
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
53 |
|
21: Police - named suspect, investigation not in the public interest |
4 |
|
3: Adult caution |
1 |
|
8: Community resolution |
2 |
|
New |
3 |
|
Grand Total |
120 |
Out of the 225 crimes recorded under "Outraging Public Decency", 46 had a linked arrest.
- The number of arrests for sex or masturbation in a public place. Please also indicate the location of the incident
From the 46 arrested for "Outraging Public Decency", 28 of those had a keyword written within the MO/Summary. The recorded "MO Location" of those that had a linked arrest, which included a keyword.
|
MO Location |
Total |
|
Commercial - Car park (open air) - Doorstep |
2 |
|
Dwelling - Holiday home - Balcony |
1 |
|
Hospitality - Hotel/motel - Other |
1 |
|
Not Recorded |
10 |
|
Public/open place - Car park (open air) - Lorry park |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Car park (open air) - Other |
2 |
|
Public/open place - Field - Other |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Park/garden - Other |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Park/garden - Picnic area |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Street/road |
1 |
|
Public/open place - Street/road - Other |
6 |
|
Shop - Supermarket - Car park level |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
28 |
The recorded "Postal Town" of those that had a linked arrest, which included a keyword written within the MO/Summary.
|
Postal Town |
Total |
|
Barnstaple |
1 |
|
Bovey Tracey |
1 |
|
Connor Downs |
1 |
|
Exeter |
7 |
|
Hemyock |
1 |
|
Honiton |
1 |
|
Kennerleigh |
1 |
|
Newquay |
1 |
|
Paignton |
1 |
|
Plymouth |
4 |
|
Pool |
1 |
|
Redruth |
1 |
|
Saltash |
1 |
|
Sourton |
1 |
|
Sticklepath |
1 |
|
Truro |
4 |
|
Grand Total |
28 |