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5 Commentary: Persons Proceeded Against ( Tables 1 & 2)
(Unless otherwise stated, references in this bulletin to the type of crime or offence for which a person is proceeded against or convicted relate to the main charge involved. For the definition of main charge, please see Annex D. The final column of Table 4(a)provides counts of individual offences with a charge proved regardless of whether or not they were the main offence involved. More detailed information on individual motor vehicle offences with a charge proved is also included in Section 11.)
5.1 In 2007/08, the total number of persons proceeded against decreased by ½ per cent compared to 2006/07, to an estimated 148,800. This figure is, however, higher than the totals for all of the last seven years prior to 2006/07.
5.2 An estimated 89 per cent of persons proceeded against in court in 2007/08 were convicted of at least one charge, a total of 133,100 convictions. Three per cent were acquitted on a "not guilty" verdict, and 1 per cent on a "not proven" verdict. The remaining 7 per cent either had their case deserted by the prosecution or had a plea of "not guilty" accepted.
5.3 Acquittal rates vary by type of crime. In 2007/08, 30 per cent of those proceeded against for rape or attempted rape were acquitted following a "not guilty" verdict. This proportion was also high for those proceeded against for indecent assault (19 per cent), lewd and indecent behaviour (12 per cent) and serious assault or attempted murder (11 per cent). The proportion of persons receiving a "not proven" verdict was highest by far for rape or attempted rape (24 per cent). Twenty-two per cent of persons proceeded against for theft of/from a motor vehicle had a plea of not guilty accepted or had the case against them deserted. By contrast, 95 per cent of persons proceeded against in court for motor vehicle offences were convicted in 2007/08, with only 1 per cent acquitted on a "not guilty" verdict and most of the remaining prosecutions either being deserted or having a plea of "not guilty" accepted.
5.4 Of those persons acquitted in 2007/08 after trial, 20 per cent received a "not proven" verdict. This proportion varied by type of crime. For example, it was higher than average for rape and attempted rape (45 per cent), drugs crimes (35 per cent), indecent assault (33 per cent), serious assault and attempted murder (30 per cent) and fire-raising and theft of/from a motor vehicle (both 27 per cent).
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