Gallwch adael y wefan hon yn gyflym drwy wasgu’r fysell Escape Allanfa Gyflym
Rydym yn defnyddio rhai cwcis hanfodol i wneud i’n gwefan weithio. Hoffem osod cwcis ychwanegol fel y gallwn gofio eich dewisiadau a deall sut rydych yn defnyddio ein gwefan.
Gallwch reoli eich dewisiadau a gosodiadau cwcis unrhyw bryd drwy glicio ar “Addasu cwcis” isod. I gael rhagor o wybodaeth am sut rydym yn defnyddio cwcis, gweler ein Hysbysiad cwcis.
Mae eich dewisiadau cwcis wedi’u cadw. Gallwch ddiweddaru eich gosodiadau cwcis unrhyw bryd ar y dudalen cwcis.
Mae eich dewisiadau cwcis wedi’u cadw. Gallwch ddiweddaru eich gosodiadau cwcis unrhyw bryd ar y dudalen cwcis.
Mae’n ddrwg gennym, roedd problem dechnegol. Rhowch gynnig arall arni.
Diolch am roi cynnig ar fersiwn 'beta' ein gwefan newydd. Mae'n waith ar y gweill, byddwn yn ychwanegu gwasanaethau newydd dros yr wythnosau nesaf, felly cymerwch gip a gadewch i ni wybod beth yw eich barn chi.
FOI Reference: 868/2024
Request:
I have been collecting data published by the government on the number of blackmail offences (offence code: 35) recorded by police forces every financial year from 2012/13 to 2023/24.
I am now looking for more information from each force about the ages recorded for the victims in these cases.
Dyfed-Powys Police's recorded blackmail offences for each of the years is as follows:
12/13: 2
13/14: 4
14/15: 7
15/16: 48
16/17: 64
17/18: 57
18/19: 259
19/20: 75
20/21: 136
21/22: 223
22/23: 330
23/24: 328
-For each of the financial years since 2012/13, please could you break down the ages recorded for victims of all of the blackmail offences recorded by the force?
Please feel free to group ages. For instance, if there were 50 recorded blackmail offences for one year you could then provide the ages in groups such as: 5 aged 14; 5 aged 15; 10 aged 16; 20 aged 17; 10 aged 18 etc.
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Response:
I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested; however we are exempting part of that information as we believe that the following exemption is relevant:
Section 30(1)(a) Investigations and Proceedings conducted by Public Authorities
Section 30(1)(a) is a class-based qualified exemption. This means that the legislators when writing the legislation considered that the release of such information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 would cause harm to the public authority or individual concerned. There is therefore no requirement to carry out a HARM Test in respect of such information. However there is a requirement to carry out a Public Interest Test in order to establish whether the public interest in maintaining the exemption may be outweighed by a wider public benefit in disclosure.
Section 30(1)(a) Investigations and Proceedings conducted by Public Authorities:
(1) Information held by a public authority is exempt information if it has at any time been held by the authority for the purposes of -
(a) Any investigation which the public authority has a duty to conduct with a view to it being ascertained (i) whether a person should be charged with an offence, or (ii) whether a person charged with an offence is guilty of it.
Public Interest Test
Considerations favouring disclosure:
Disclosure of the information would improve the public’s knowledge and awareness and would provide satisfaction to the public that these cases are investigated thoroughly and offenders are being dealt with accordingly.
Considerations favouring non-disclosure:
This exemption covers information held at any time for the purpose of an investigation, whether the case is ongoing, closed or abandoned. To release details of an ongoing investigation, as in this case, could undermine and prejudice that investigation. This would impact on the forces’ future law enforcement capabilities by hindering the prevention or detection of crime.
Balancing Test
After considering the advantages and disadvantages in disclosure, it falls upon Dyfed-Powys Police to conduct a balance test on the issues. The strongest argument for disclosure, which is public awareness, needs to be weighed against the strongest arguments for non-disclosure, which in this case is that the release would undermine and prejudice an ongoing investigation, which would impact on the forces’ future law enforcement capabilities by hindering the prevention or detection of crime.
Therefore, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
2012 -13 |
2013 -14 |
2014 -15 |
2015 -16 |
2016 -17 |
2017 -18 |
2018 -19 |
2019 -20 |
2020 -21 |
2021 -22 |
2022 -23 |
2023 -24 |
Grand Total |
|
10 & under |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
11-15 |
0 |
0 |
x |
6 |
8 |
0 |
4 |
x |
6 |
19 |
37 |
40 |
123 |
16-20 |
x |
0 |
x |
13 |
11 |
11 |
24 |
16 |
40 |
71 |
102 |
111 |
402 |
21-25 |
0 |
0 |
x |
8 |
11 |
x |
20 |
6 |
23 |
29 |
48 |
52 |
202 |
26-30 |
0 |
x |
x |
4 |
6 |
8 |
18 |
7 |
10 |
24 |
22 |
24 |
125 |
31-35 |
0 |
0 |
x |
x |
6 |
8 |
12 |
x |
9 |
19 |
15 |
19 |
96 |
36-40 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
5 |
5 |
15 |
7 |
x |
19 |
15 |
12 |
82 |
41-45 |
0 |
x |
0 |
5 |
4 |
x |
13 |
x |
4 |
x |
18 |
14 |
65 |
46-50 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
20 |
x |
7 |
10 |
10 |
x |
65 |
51-55 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
13 |
8 |
4 |
6 |
9 |
9 |
57 |
56-60 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
0 |
x |
25 |
x |
7 |
x |
17 |
12 |
71 |
61-65 |
x |
0 |
0 |
x |
0 |
x |
32 |
4 |
x |
x |
x |
8 |
56 |
66-70 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
0 |
x |
29 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
48 |
71-75 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
0 |
13 |
x |
x |
6 |
x |
4 |
28 |
76-80 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
x |
0 |
6 |
x |
x |
16 |
81-85 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
86-90 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
90 & over |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
U/k |
0 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
15 |
4 |
4 |
x |
7 |
7 |
48 |
Grand Total |
x |
x |
8 |
51 |
65 |
56 |
261 |
69 |
126 |
223 |
307 |
319 |
1491 |
Section 30 applied x 41
Please note:
Where information has be redacted this is due to low numbers or possible victims being identified therefore the following exemption has been applied:
Section 40(2) Personal Information
The exemption applicable to the information you have requested for this question can be found at Section 40(2) Personal Information, of the Act and this refusal notice is issued under Section 17 of the FOI Act.
Due to the low numbers, the chances of identification are extremely high.
Information of this nature is the personal sensitive information of that individual.
To make a disclosure here would be in breach of the first GDPR data protection principle (DPA Act 2018) which is for data to be processed lawfully, fairly and transparently. Also, it may lead to the identification of individuals concerned or
permit further information to be gleaned around the circumstances of each case.
Dyfed-Powys Police is withholding the information you have requested on the basis that the exemption contained in s 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act applies in that the information you have requested is personal data of third parties and the disclosure of the data would breach one of the principles contained in the Data Protection Act. The relevant principle is the first principle which states that:
Personal data shall be processed fairly and lawfully and in particular shall not be processed unless –
(a) at least one of the conditions in Schedule 2 is met and
(b) in the case of sensitive personal data, at least one of the conditions in Schedule 3
is met
It is only necessary to consider (a) in respect of the information requested. The
relevant condition in Schedule 2 is condition 6 which states that:
"The processing is necessary for the purposes of legitimate interests pursued by the data controller or by the third party or parties to whom the data are disclosed, except where the processing is unwarranted in any particular case by reason of prejudice to the rights and freedoms or legitimate interests of the data subject."
However, as a gesture of goodwill, data of the number of victims in these cases, has been provided within various age group categories, in order to reduce the risk of identifying any personal information.
It should be noted that as a result of the systems adopted by Dyfed-Powys Police in relation to the recording of such information that the information released may or may not be accurate.
Please note:-
It should be noted that the applicant has provided figures on Dyfed-Powys Police's recorded blackmail offences for the financial year periods, however, some of the figures provided by the applicant do not match those published on the government website:
Police recorded crime open data Police Force Area tables, year ending March 2013 onwards
The actual figures on the government website are:
2012/13 – 3
2013/14 – 4
2014/15 – 7
2015/16 – 48
2016/17 – 64
2017/18 – 57
2018/19 – 259
2019/20 – 75
2020-21 – 136
2021/22 – 223
2022/23 – 330
2023/24 - 328
However, the volumes provided in our response may differ slightly to those published on the government website due to a variety of factors, including cancelled crimes, crimes being re-classified and the implementation of new recording system in May-23.
(This is a response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and disclosed on 03/10/2024)