Domestic homicides 1095/2024
FOI Reference: 1095/2024
Request
This is a request for information according to the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
It relates to domestic homicides, where the victim was known to the police.
Please note there are three parts to my request, although parts one and two contain multiple sub-questions.
I have attached a spreadsheet to support you in your response.
1 a) From 01/01/2019 to 19/11/24, how many domestic homicide offences, where a woman was killed by her current or former male partner have been recorded by your police force?
1 b) In each of these domestic homicide offences, how many victims were flagged with a domestic violence marker associated with:
– Their name
– And/or address
– And/or telephone number
– Current or former male partner
1 c) of those deaths, how many were investigated as possible homicides?
1 d) of those which were investigated as possible homicides, how many arrests were made of the woman's current or former male partner?
1 e) of those partners or former partners who were arrested, how many were subsequently charged with her murder?
1 f) How many were charged with her manslaughter?
1 g) How many were charged with a violent offence or coercive control in relation to that victim following her death?
2 a) From 01/01/2019 to 19/11/24, how many women whose deaths were
reported to your police force as sudden and unexplained had a police
record of domestic abuse associated with:
– Their name
– And/or address
– And/or telephone number
– Current or former male partner
2 b) of those deaths, how many were investigated as possible homicides?
2 c) of those which were investigated as possible homicides, how many arrests were made of the woman's current or former male partner?
2 d) of those partners or former partners who were arrested, how many were subsequently charged with her murder?
2 e) How many were charged with her manslaughter?
2 f) How many were charged with a violent offence or coercive control in relation to that victim following her death?
3 a) From 01/01/2019 to 19/11/24, how many police officers in your force have been arrested following an allegation of domestic violence?
3 b) How many were subsequently charged?
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 5,789 hours) to comply with this part of your request. The regulations can be located @ https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/3244
The Freedom of Information department has been advised that the information in respect of Questions 1 & 2 of your request is not held in an easily retrievable format. In light of this and in order to accurately obtain the information relative to your request for the time frame stipulated would involve Dyfed-Powys Police accessing and manually reviewing 5,789 records.
It has also been established that it would take a minimum of 60 minutes to review and obtain the information for a single record in respect of your request (as outlined above). The process outlined results in the below time estimate.
Time estimate for Q1
A manual review of the below number of recorded homicides across multiple systems would need to be carried out to answer a – g of this question.
2019 – 7
2020 – 4
2021 – 7
2022 – 4
2023 - 6
2024 – to November 11th = 12
Total records = 40
Time estimate for Q2
A manual review of the below number of records of reported sudden death and unexplained deaths would need to be carried out to answer a – g of this question.
2019 – Data not available
2020 – 1,182
2021 – 1,120
2022 – 1,182
2023 - 1,169
2024 – to November 11th = 1,096
Total records = 5,749
5,789 x 60 minutes = 5,789 hours
Time estimate to complete task = 5,789 hours
Question 3:
The relevant department have advised that a response can be provided within the appropriate time limit, i.e. 18 hours.
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 27/11/2024)