Strangulation offences 662/2025

FOI Reference: 662/2025

Request

1. Please provide the total number of recorded strangulation offences [Domestic Abuse Act (2021, section 70) and the Serious Crime Act (2015, section 75A)] from 7th June 2024-6th June 2025 (inclusive), with the below details (as many as are recorded on your systems) for each case:

1. 1. Victim sex and gender
   2. Victim age
   3. Victim ethnicity
   4. Victim disability
   5. Suspect sex and gender
   6. Suspect age
   7. Suspect ethnicity
   8. Suspect disability
   9. Relationship between victim and suspect
   10. Context of the strangulation offence
   11. Any additional offences at the time of the strangulation offence
   12. Whether these cases are domestic abuse-flagged
   13. Whether these cases are part of a rape or serious sexual offence investigation
   14. Police assigned outcome and additional rationale where available

2. Please also provide as many of the above details (a-n) as possible for any additional cases involving non-fatal strangulation, where this has been flagged/ featured within an alternative offence, but not recorded specifically as an offence of strangulation.

 

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 342 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 (J,K & M) and Question 2 (J,K & M) 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

It has been established that there are a total of 1,372 records that cover the period of your request. It has also been established that it would take a minimum of 5 minutes to review and obtain the information for a single record in respect of each question of these questions.

The process outlined results in the below time estimate.

In order to answer question 1 (j,k & m).

275 Records x 5 minutes  = Approximately 23 hours per question.

23 hrs x 3 = 69 hrs

In order to answer question 2 (j,k & m).

1,097 Records x 5 minutes = Approximately 91 hours per question.

91 x 3 = 273 hrs

69 +273 = 342 hours

Time estimate to complete task = 342 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.

Although excess cost removes the forces obligations under the Freedom of Information Act to provide any further information, as a gesture of goodwill, I have provided information, relative to all remaining questions of your request which has been easily retrievable and outlined below. I trust this is helpful, but it does not affect our legal right to rely on the fees regulations for the remainder of your request.

Q1

a. Victim sex and gender

Victim Gender	Number of Offences
Female	231
Male	34
Not Recorded	5
Unknown	5

b. Victim age

Victim Age Groups	Number of Offences
Under 18	28
18-25	58
26-35	88
36-45	50
46-55	27
56-65	15
66-75	3
76-85	1
Not Recorded	5

c. Victim ethnicity

Victim Self Defined Ethnicity	Number of Offences
A1. Asian Indian inc Asian British	2
A9. Any other Asian background	1
B2. Black African inc Black British	1
NS. Not stated	8
Not Recorded	14
W1. White British	239
W2. White Irish	4
W9. Any other white background	6

d. Victim disability

No recorded disability.

e. Suspect sex and gender

Nominal Gender	Number of Offences
F	23
M	252

f. Suspect age

Nominals Age Groups	Number of Offences
Under 18	5
18-25	53
26-35	97
36-45	71
46-55	34
56-65	8
66-75	4
76-85	3

g. Suspect ethnicity

Victim Self Defined Ethnicity	Number of Offences
A1. Asian Indian inc Asian British	2
B9. Any other Black background	1
M2. Mixed White & Black African	1
NS. Not stated	10
NULL	29
W1. White British	229
W9. Any other white background	3

h. Suspect disability.

No recorded disability.

i. Relationship between victim and suspect.

Victim Accused Relationship	Number of Offences
Acquaintance	20
Brother (incl. step/half/adopted)	2
Daughter (incl. step/half/adopted)	4
Ex-partner: Heterosexual	115
Ex-partner: Non-heterosexual	2
Ex-partner: Not known	1
Not known/No current suspect	1
Not Recorded	5
Other relative	3
Other sexual relationship	2
Parent (incl. step/adopted)	10
Partner: Heterosexual	99
Partner: Non-heterosexual	3
Partner: Not known	2
Son (incl. step/half/adopted)	2
Stranger	3
Victimless/crime against state	1

l. Whether these cases are domestic abuse-flagged

There are 239 which are domestic related offences.

n. Police assigned outcome and additional rationale where available.

Outcome	Number of Offences
1: Charged	58
1: Summonsed/postal requisition	1
15: CPS - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties	19
15: Police - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties	59
16: Victim declines/withdraws support - named suspect identified	46
17: Suspect identified but prosecution time limit expired	1
1A: Alternate offence charged	44
20: Other body/agency has investigation primacy	1
3: Adult conditional caution	2
3A: Alternate offence adult caution	1
8: Community resolution	1
Cancelled/transferred	1
Investigation Ongoing	39
Not Recorded	2
Total	275

Q2

a. Victim sex and gender

Victim Gender	Number of Offences
Female	817
Male	240
Not Recorded	16
Unknown	24

b. Victim age

Victim Age Groups	Number of Offences
Under 18	140
18-25	214
26-35	261
36-45	246
46-55	123
56-65	73
66-75	19
76-85	12
86-95	2
Not Recorded	7

c. Victim ethnicity

Victim Self Defined Ethnicity	Number of Offences
A1. Asian Indian inc Asian British	6
A4. Asian Chinese inc Asian British	2
A9. Any other Asian background	7
B2. Black African inc Black British	1
B9. Any other Black background	1
M3. Mixed White & Asian	3
NS. Not stated	50
Not Recorded	63
O9. Any other	6
W1. White British	941
W2. White Irish	2
W3. White Gypsy or Irish Traveller	3
W9. Any other white background	12

d. Victim disability

No recorded disability.

e. Suspect sex and gender

Nominal Gender	Number of Offences
F	171
M	913
Not Recorded	3
Unknown	10

f. Suspect age

Nominals Age Groups	Number of Offences
Under 18	62
18-25	151
26-35	351
36-45	238
46-55	167
56-65	82
66-75	17
76-85	11
86-95	3
Not Recorded	15

g. Suspect ethnicity

Victim Self Defined Ethnicity	Number of Offences
A1. Asian Indian inc Asian British	6
A4. Asian Chinese inc Asian British	2
B1. Black Caribbean inc Black British	1
B2. Black African inc Black British	2
B9. Any other Black background	2
M9. Any other mixed	3
NS. Not stated	77
Not Recorded	109
O2. Arab	2
O9. Any other	6
W1. White British	874
W2. White Irish	1
W9. Any other white background	12

h. Suspect disability.

No recorded disability.

i. Relationship between victim and suspect

Victim Accused Relationship	Number of Offences
Acquaintance	96
Brother (incl. step/half/adopted)	28
Daughter (incl. step/half/adopted)	17
Ex-partner: Heterosexual	302
Ex-partner: Non-heterosexual	14
Ex-partner: Not known	4
Grandchild (incl. step/adopted)	5
Not known/No current suspect	10
Not Recorded	44
Other relative	18
Other sexual relationship	6
Parent (incl. step/adopted)	106
Partner: Heterosexual	362
Partner: Non-heterosexual	11
Partner: Not known	3
Sister (incl. step/half/adopted)	7
Son (incl. step/half/adopted)	35
Stranger	29

l. Whether these cases are domestic abuse-flagged

There are 901 which are domestic related offences.

n. Police assigned outcome and additional rationale where available

Outcome	Number of Offences
1: Charged	198
1: Summonsed/postal requisition	12
10: Police - formal action not in public interest	1
11: Named suspect below age of criminal responsibility	2
12: Named suspect identified but is dead or too ill (physical or mental health) to prosecute	2
13: Named suspect but victim/key witness deceased or too ill	1
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender	2
15: CPS - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties	42
15: Police - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties	229
16: Victim declines/withdraws support - named suspect identified	300
17: Suspect identified but prosecution time limit expired	9
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified	1
1A: Alternate offence charged	119
20: Other body/agency has investigation primacy	11
21: Police - named suspect, investigation not in the public interest	5
22: Diversionary, educational or intervention activity, has been undertaken and there is no public interest to continue	3
3: Adult caution	6
3: Adult conditional caution	3
3A: Alternate offence adult caution	3
3A: Alternate offence adult conditional caution	5
8: Community resolution	6
8: Youth restorative disposal	2
9: CPS - prosecution not in public interest	3
Cancelled/transferred	29
Investigation Ongoing	96
Not a crime (NCRS compliant)	3
Not Recorded	4
Total	1097

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.

(This is a response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and disclosed on 28/08/2025)

Os oes angen y wybodaeth yma arnoch yn Gymraeg, cysylltwch â: [email protected] If you require this information in Welsh, please contact: [email protected]