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FOI/202200317462 Review of 202100212742 · FOI · not held

Court proceedings of animal cruelty offences: FOI Review

Published
2023-01-05
Received
2022-08-25
Responded
2022-09-08
Directorate
Safer Communities Directorate
Topic
Law and order, Public sector
Exemptions
19, 17(1)

Information requested

The following in relation to the Grampian, Highland and Islands Sheriffdom again BUT also for the Dundee, Angus, Perthshire, Fife and Tayside sheriffdom: 1. The number of people charged for cruelty to animals offences during that time under Animal Health and Welfare (S) 2006. 2. The number of people convicted for cruelty to animals offences under Animal Health and Welfare (S) 2006. 3. Of those how many were issued with a custodial sentence. 4. The average length of those sentences.

Response

Apologies for not answering your request dated 12/7/2022. The Justice Analytical Services did not receive your request. In this instance we are only able to answer part of this request. The latest available information on proceedings and convictions is for the financial year 2020-21 and is provided in the following table. Number of people prosecuted for animal cruelty offences under Animal Health & Wellbeing (Scotland) 2006 Act Sections 19-24 (where main crime), by result, 2016-17 to 2020-21.

2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 Scotland Total prosecuted 73 73 76 79 39 Total convicted 63 63 64 64 33 Custody 4 4 2 8 1 Average sentence length in days 205 143 201 282 40 Grampian, Highlands & Islands Total prosecuted 8 8 11 12 5 Total convicted 7 8 10 9 4 Custody - - - 2 - Average sentence length in days - - - 259 - Tayside, Central & Fife Total prosecuted 14 15 17 14 4 Total convicted 10 14 13 11 4 Custody 2 1 - 1 - Average sentence length in days 198 145 - 182 -

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database

We do not hold information on the number of people charged. Crown Office and Prosecutor Fiscal Service might be able to provide the number of charges reported to them. You can contact them at FOI@copfs.gov.uk. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

Contact Please quote the FOI reference Central Enquiry Unit Email: ceu@gov.scot Phone: 0300 244 4000 The Scottish Government St Andrews House Regent Road Edinburgh EH1 3DG

Detected exemption language

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested.

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