Com networks 413/2026

FOI Reference: 413/2026

Request:

This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. My request relates to com networks.

For the avoidance of doubt, we are defining com networks as online communities, of predominantly young men, which operate across social media, messaging platforms, and gaming platforms, to circulate harmful content, promote misogynistic ideologies, and groom vulnerable victims into abuse or violent behaviour, motivated by status, power, control or sexual gratification.

1. In the last 5 years, how many reports relating to com networks has your force received?
2. For each year, how many arrests have been made relating to com networks? Please state the age of the arrested.
3. For each year, how many charges have there been in relation to com networks? Please state the age of the charged.
4. For each case, can you state if victim is in UK or overseas.
5. When charges have been brought, what is age of youngest victim? 

Clarification sought:

1. Are you referring to the last five calendar or financial years
2. When you state “reports” are you referring to 999/101 calls received

Clarification received:

• Calendar year is fine and reports including 999,101 and anything logged online.

Response:

Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 places two duties on public authorities. Unless exemptions apply, the first duty at Section 1(1) (a) is to confirm or deny whether the information specified in a request is held. The second duty at Section 1(1) (b) is to disclose information that has been confirmed as being held.

Where exemptions are relied upon Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires Dyfed Powys Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which:   (a) states that fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information you have requested. However we are withholding the whole of the requested information since we consider that the Section 12(1) exemption the Cost of Compliance exceeds the Appropriate Limit applies to it.

Section 12 (1) – The cost of compliance exceeds the Appropriate Limit

Section 12(1) states: “…Section 1 (1) does not oblige a public authority to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying with the request would exceed the appropriate limit.”

The cost of providing you with the information requested in respect of your request is above the amount to which we are legally required to respond i.e. the cost of locating and retrieving the information exceeds the “appropriate level” as stated in the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004. It is estimated that it would exceed 18 hours (i.e. minimum of 2480.83 hours) to comply with this part of your request. The regulations can be located at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/3244

The Freedom of Information department has been advised that the information in respect of question 1 of your request is not held in an easily retrievable format as there is no specific category to denote a com network as outlined in your request. In light of this and in order to accurately obtain the information relative to question 1 of your request for the time frame stipulated would involve Dyfed Powys Police accessing and reviewing all reported incidents that would be categorised as Crime-Other, Crime-sexual and/or Crime-Sextortion depending on the circumstances of what has occurred to ascertain if the incident relates to question 1 of your request. It has been established that there are a total of 14,885 incidents that cover the period of your request.  It has also been established that it would take a minimum of 10 minutes to review and obtain the information for a single incident in respect of question 1 of your request (as outlined above).  The process outlined results in the below time estimate.

2020 = 1,830 incidents at a minimum of 10 minutes per record = 305.00
2021 = 2,296 incidents at a minimum of 10 minutes per record = 382.67
2022 = 2,709 incidents at a minimum of 10 minutes per record = 451.50
2023 = 2,736 incidents at a minimum of 10 minutes per record = 456.00
2024 = 2,543 incidents at a minimum of 10 minutes per record = 423.83
2025 = 2,771 incidents at a minimum of 10 minutes per record = 461.83

Time estimate to complete task = 2480.83 hours

Please note: In addition to the above time estimate we have been informed by the relevant department that to answer questions 2 – 5 would also exceed the 18 hour time limit threshold.

In accordance therefore with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this letter acts as a Refusal Notice for the Whole of this request under Section 17(5) A public authority which, in relation to any request for information, is relying on a claim that section 12 or section 14 applies must, within the time for complying with section 1(1), give the applicant a notice stating that fact.

You may wish to refine and resubmit your request so that it reduces the time shown above to fall within the 18 hours, should you require any further advice in relation to this matter please don’t hesitate to contact the Freedom of Information Unit. Please also be advised that should the request be refined, it does not remove the public authorities right to cite exemptions if relevant.                                   

(This is a response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and disclosed on 11/05/2026)