Child sexual Abuse cases reported - stats on who takes the lead and referals to CPS

S. Prichard made this Freedom of Information request to Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was refused by Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

Part of our research we have been uncovering social services have been criticising parents, known as “protective parents”, for reporting child sexual abuse. These parents are having their children removed from their care and residency is being passed to the abuser, or the enabler of abuse. We have seen and heard evidence throughout the UK that social workers are using, and misleading, family courts to remove a child(ren) which we believe to be unlawfully. We believe that the family courts have not got the power or jurisdiction to deal with sensitive cases such as child sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse should be heard in a criminal court. We have seen police forces pass the investigation to social services and failed to follow CPS guidelines by not taking the lead or referring to the CPS.
We have seen evidence of sexual discrimination by social workers therefore want to obtain data if there are any conviction differences between the father or mother reporting the abuse, (i.e. fathers are not taken seriously and any investigation is refused or ignored) and to see when police take the lead if it was only a professional or stranger as the suspect and only refer to social services if it was a mother or father report sexual abuse.

During the period of 01st January 2018 to January 2019 we would like to know the following
1. How many new child abuse cases (sexual) (aged 12 and under) have been reported collectively to your police force? Please could you break down statistics in the following format to this and the following questions; -
• Reported by the mother or maternal side of the family
• Reported by the father or paternal side of the family
• Reported by professionals (school, nursery etc.)
• Reported by outside persons such as friends, witnesses etc.

And out of these could you subcategorise if the suspect in the child abuse case was; -
• A family member.
• A friend of the family (i.e. babysitter).
• A professional (for example care home worker, foster career, teacher, police officer).
• A stranger.
Please could you subcategorise: -
• police took the lead in the investigation.
• passed to social services to be sole investigator.
• Joint investigation with social services.
• Did not investigate or pass on to social services.

2. As per Q1, How many new child abuse cases (sexual) (aged 12 and under) have been reported collectively to your police force, please can you tell me how many cases were referred to the CPS where the police took lead of investigation, and how many cases were referred to the CPS where police passed social services to solely lead the investigation. Please also state if the police worked alongside social services.

3. Within all the cases reported to police (as per Q1), how many criminal convictions or the case has gone to trial in a criminal court when police took the lead in the child abuse allegations, and how many criminal convictions or gone to trial in a criminal court when police passed sole lead to social services in the investigation.

4. How many cases have the police refused to investigate child abuse cases citing reasons such as to the effect “no funds due to cut backs”, or to the effect “police are not legally required to investigate child abuse”. Please go back 5 years on the question, supplying statistics for each year.

Yours faithfully,

S. Prichard

Cyclops on behalf of Mark Geal, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

1 Attachment

 

Official Sensitive

     

 

 

 

 

 

Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
  London
SW6 1SF
  United Kingdom

  Our Ref: 01/FOI/19/002072

  Date: 25/04/2019

   

 

 

 

Dear  S PRICHARD

 

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/19/002072

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 17/04/2019.  I note you seek
access to the following information:

 

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

Part of our research we have been uncovering social services have been
criticising parents, known as “protective parents”, for reporting child
sexual abuse.  These parents are having their children removed from their
care and residency is being passed to the abuser, or the enabler of abuse.
  We have seen and heard evidence throughout the UK that social workers
are using, and misleading, family courts to remove a child(ren) which we
believe to be unlawfully.  We believe that the family courts have not got
the power or jurisdiction to deal with sensitive cases such as child
sexual abuse.  Child sexual abuse should be heard in a criminal court.  We
have seen police forces pass the investigation to social services and
failed to follow CPS guidelines by not taking the lead or referring to the
CPS. 
We have seen evidence of sexual discrimination by social workers therefore
want to obtain data if there are any conviction differences between the
father or mother reporting the abuse, (i.e. fathers are not taken
seriously and any investigation is refused or ignored) and to see when
police take the lead if it was only a professional or stranger as the
suspect and only refer to social services if it was a mother or father
report sexual abuse.

During the period of 01st January 2018 to January 2019 we would like to
know the following 
1.      How many new child abuse cases (sexual) (aged 12 and under) have
been reported collectively to your police force?  Please could you break
down statistics in the following format to this and the following
questions; -
•      Reported by the mother or maternal side of the family 
•      Reported by the father or paternal side of the family 
•      Reported by professionals (school, nursery etc.) 
•      Reported by outside persons such as friends, witnesses etc.

And out of these could you subcategorise if the suspect in the child abuse
case was; - 
•      A family member.
•      A friend of the family (i.e. babysitter).
•      A professional (for example care home worker, foster career,
teacher, police officer).
•      A stranger.
Please could you subcategorise: -
•      police took the lead in the investigation.
•      passed to social services to be sole investigator.
•      Joint investigation with social services.
•      Did not investigate or pass on to social services.

2.      As per Q1, How many new child abuse cases (sexual) (aged 12 and
under) have been reported collectively to your police force, please can
you tell me how many cases were referred to the CPS where the police took
lead of investigation, and how many cases were referred to the CPS  where
police passed social services to solely lead the investigation.  Please
also state if the police worked alongside social services.

3.      Within all the cases reported to police (as per Q1), how many
criminal convictions or the case has gone to trial in a criminal court
when police took the lead in the child abuse allegations, and how many
criminal convictions or gone to trial in a criminal court when police
passed sole lead to social services in the investigation.

4.      How many cases have the police refused to investigate child abuse
cases citing reasons such as to the effect “no funds due to cut backs”, or
to the effect “police are not legally required to investigate child
abuse”.  Please go back 5 years on the question, supplying statistics for
each year.

Yours faithfully,

S. Prichard

 

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act).  You will receive a response within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act.  

 

If you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please contact
us at [email address] or on the phone at 0207 161 3500, quoting the
reference number above. Should your enquiry relate to the logging or
allocations process we will be able to assist you directly and where your
enquiry relates to other matters (such as the status of the request) we
will be able to pass on a message and/or advise you of the relevant
contact details. 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

PC Geal

 

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

 

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

 

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

 

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

 

Complaint

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

 

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

 

FOI Complaint

Information Rights Unit

PO Box 57192

London

SW6 1SF

[email address]

 

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.

 

The Information Commissioner

 

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

 

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

 

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
absolutely necessary.

NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of
the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system.  To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law.  Consequently, any email and/or
attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are
authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents.  The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 

Find us at:

Facebook: [1]https://m.facebook.com/metpoliceuk

Twitter: @metpoliceuk

References

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Cyclops on behalf of Sarah Strong, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

1 Attachment

    Official Sensitive

 

 

 

Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
  United Kingdom

  Our Ref: 01/FOI/19/002072

  Date: 17/05/2019

 

 

 

 

Dear Mr Pritchard,

 

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/19/002072

 

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 

I am sorry to inform you that we have not been able to complete our
response to your request by the date originally stated. 

 

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act), we have 20 working
days to respond to a request for information unless we are considering
whether the information requested is covered by one of the 'qualified
exemptions' (exemptions which must be tested against the public interest
before deciding whether they apply to the information in question). 

 

Where we are considering the public interest test against the application
of relevant qualified exemptions, Section 17(2)(b) provides that we can
extend the 20 day deadline.  Please see the legal annex for further
information on this section of the Act.

 

For your information we are considering the following exemption(s):

Section 31(1)(a) Law Enforcement

  

I can now advise you that the amended date for a response is 17/06/2019.

 

I do apologise for any inconvenience caused.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Sarah Strong

 

LEGAL ANNEX

 

Section 17(2) provides:

 

(2) Where- 

 

a) in relation to any request for information, a public authority is, as
respects any information, relying on a claim- 

i) that any provision of Part II which relates to the duty to confirm or
deny and is not specified in section 2(3) is relevant to the request, or 

ii) that the information is exempt information only by virtue of a
provision not specified in section 2(3), and 

b) at the time when the notice under subsection (1) is given to the
applicant, the public authority (or, in a case falling within section
66(3) or (4), the responsible authority) has not yet reached a decision as
to the application of subsection (1)(b) or (2)(b) of section 2, 

the notice under subsection (1) must indicate that no decision as to the
application of that provision has yet been reached and must contain an
estimate of the date by which the authority expects that such a decision
will have been reached.

 

 
COMPLAINT RIGHTS

 

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

 

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

 

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

 

Complaint

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

 

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

 

FOI Complaint

Information Rights Unit

PO Box 57192

London

SW6 1SF

[email address]

 

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.

 

The Information Commissioner

 

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

 

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

 

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone:  0303 123 1113

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
absolutely necessary.

NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of
the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system.  To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law.  Consequently, any email and/or
attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are
authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents.  The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 

Find us at:

Facebook: [1]https://m.facebook.com/metpoliceuk

Twitter: @metpoliceuk

References

Visible links
1. https://m.facebook.com/metpoliceuk

Cyclops on behalf of Sarah Strong, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

2 Attachments

 

Official Sensitive

     

 

 

 

Dear Mr Pritchard,

 

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/19/002072

 

Please see the attached in respect of your Freedom of Information request
referenced above.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Ms. Strong

 

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

 

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

 

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

 

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

 

Complaint

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

 

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

 

FOI Complaint

Information Rights Unit

PO Box 57192

London

SW6 1SF

[email address]

 

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.

 

The Information Commissioner

 

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

 

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

 

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
absolutely necessary.

NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of
the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system.  To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law.  Consequently, any email and/or
attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are
authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents.  The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 

Find us at:

Facebook: [1]https://m.facebook.com/metpoliceuk

Twitter: @metpoliceuk

References

Visible links
1. https://m.facebook.com/metpoliceuk

Dear Cyclops on behalf of Sarah Strong,

Due to the cost threshold, please provide a snap shot of data , for example January February and March 2019

Yours sincerely,

S. Prichard

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Mr Prichard,

Please can you clarify what you refer to as a 'snapshot'. Please list the questions in full that you seek so the MPS is fully clear of the information you require.
The MPS will then be able to log your request and send an acknowledgement letter.
Many thanks,
Sarah

Sarah Strong | Information Manager | Strategy & Insight | Strategy & Governance | METHQ | Metropolitan Police Service
Email [email address] Phone: 0207 161 3500
Address - Information Rights Unit, PO Box 57192, Empress State Building, Empress Approach, Lillie Road, London, SW6 1TR.

Protective Marking: Protect
Not / Suitable for Publication: N

show quoted sections

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

I refer to a snap shot, instead of going for the full year that will succeed the financial threshold, answer the same questions for a period of x amount of months (i.e. 3 or 6) so that the request falls within the financial threshold

Yours faithfully,

S. Prichard

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Mr Pritchard,

The original response confirmed the only way to refine your request so as to ensure it would not exceed the cost threshold would be to narrow your request to questions One (1), Four (4), Six (6), Seven (7), Eight (8) and Nine (9), Ten (10), Eleven (11), Twelve (12), Thirteen (13), Fifteen (15), Eighteen (18).

If you would like the above questions submitted as a new request I can ensure this is logged for you.

Question Sixteen (16) and Seventeen (17), would need to be directed to the CPS for conviction data.

Please confirm if you are happy for me to proceed with submitting the above advised narrowed request which would not be likely to exceed the cost threshold.

Regards,

Sarah

Sarah Strong | Information Manager | Strategy & Insight | Strategy & Governance | METHQ | Metropolitan Police Service
Email [email address]
Address - Information Rights Unit, PO Box 57192, Empress State Building, Empress Approach, Lillie Road, London, SW6 1TR.

Protective Marking: Protect
Not / Suitable for Publication: N

show quoted sections

Cyclops on behalf of Tim Hale, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

1 Attachment

 

Official Sensitive

     

 

 

 

 

 

Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
  London
SW6 1SF
  United Kingdom

  Our Ref: 01/FOI/19/002771

  Date: 14/06/2019

   

 

 

 

Dear PRITCHARD

 

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/19/002771

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 05/06/2019.  I note you seek
access to the following information:

 

Part of our research we have been uncovering social services have been
criticising parents, known as “protective parents”, for reporting child
sexual abuse.  These parents are having their children removed from their
care and residency is being passed to the abuser, or the enabler of abuse.
  We have seen and heard evidence throughout the UK that social workers
are using, and misleading, family courts to remove a child(ren) which we
believe to be unlawfully.  We believe that the family courts have not got
the power or jurisdiction to deal with sensitive cases such as child
sexual abuse.  Child sexual abuse should be heard in a criminal court.  We
have seen police forces pass the investigation to social services and
failed to follow CPS guidelines by not taking the lead or referring to the
CPS.

We have seen evidence of sexual discrimination by social workers therefore
want to obtain data if there are any conviction differences between the
father or mother reporting the abuse, (i.e. fathers are not taken
seriously and any investigation is refused or ignored) and to see when
police take the lead if it was only a professional or stranger as the
suspect and only refer to social services if it was a mother or father
report sexual abuse.

During the period (referred to above) we would like to know the following
1. How many new child abuse cases (sexual) (aged 12 and under) have been
reported collectively to your police force?  Please could you break down
statistics in the following format to this and the following questions; -
2. Reported by the mother or maternal side of the family
3.Reported by the father or paternal side of the family
4. Reported by professionals (school, nursery etc.)
5. Reported by outside persons such as friends, witnesses etc.

And out of these could you subcategorise if the suspect in the child abuse
case was; -
6. A family member.
7. A friend of the family (i.e. babysitter).
8. a professional (for example care home worker, foster career, teacher,
police officer).
9. A stranger.
Please could you subcategorise: -
10. police took the lead in the investigation.
11. passed to social services to be sole investigator.
12. Joint investigation with social services.
13. Did not investigate or pass on to social services.

14. As per Q1, How many new child abuse cases (sexual) (aged 12 and under)
have been reported collectively to your police force, please can you tell
me how many cases were referred to the CPS where the police took lead of
investigation, and
15. how many cases were referred to the CPS where police passed social
services to solely lead the investigation.  Please also state if the
police worked alongside social services.
16. Within all the cases reported to police (as per Q1), how many criminal
convictions or the case has gone to trial in a criminal court when police
took the lead in the child abuse allegations, and
17. how many criminal convictions or gone to trial in a criminal court
when police passed sole lead to social services in the investigation.
18. How many cases have the police refused to investigate child abuse
cases citing reasons such as to the effect “no funds due to cut backs”, or
to the effect “police are not legally required to investigate child
abuse”.  Please go back 5 years on the question, supplying statistics for
each year.

 

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act).  You will receive a response within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act.  

 

If you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please contact
us at [email address] or on the phone at 0207 161 3500, quoting the
reference number above. Should your enquiry relate to the logging or
allocations process we will be able to assist you directly and where your
enquiry relates to other matters (such as the status of the request) we
will be able to pass on a message and/or advise you of the relevant
contact details.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Tim Hale

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

 

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

 

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

 

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

 

Complaint

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

 

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

 

FOI Complaint

Information Rights Unit

PO Box 57192

London

SW6 1SF

[email address]

 

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.

 

The Information Commissioner

 

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

 

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

 

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113

 

NOTICE - This email and any attachments are solely for the intended
recipient and may be confidential.  If you have received this email in
error, please notify the sender and delete it from your system.  Do not
use, copy or disclose the information contained in this email or in any
attachment without the permission of the sender.  Metropolitan Police
Service (MPS) communication systems are monitored to the extent permitted
by law and any email and/or attachments may be read by monitoring staff. 
Only specified personnel are authorised to conclude binding agreements on
behalf of the MPS by email and no responsibility is accepted for
unauthorised agreements reached with other personnel.  While reasonable
precautions have been taken to ensure no viruses are present in this
email, its security and that of any attachments cannot be guaranteed.

 

Cyclops on behalf of Tim Hale, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

1 Attachment

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
  London
SW6 1SF
  United Kingdom

  Our Ref: 01/FOI/19/002844

  Date: 18/06/2019

   

 

 

 

Dear  PRICHARD

 

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/19/002844

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 05/06/2019.  I note you seek
access to the following information:

 

Updated request due to cost of below rejected request

I refer to a snap shot, instead of going for the full year that will
succeed the financial threshold, answer the same questions for a period of
x amount of months (i.e. 3 or 6) so that the request falls within the
financial threshold  

(Below rejected)
Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

Part of our research we have been uncovering social services have been
criticising parents, known as “protective parents”, for reporting child
sexual abuse.  These parents are having their children removed from their
care and residency is being passed to the abuser, or the enabler of abuse.
  We have seen and heard evidence throughout the UK that social workers
are using, and misleading, family courts to remove a child(ren) which we
believe to be unlawfully.  We believe that the family courts have not got
the power or jurisdiction to deal with sensitive cases such as child
sexual abuse.  Child sexual abuse should be heard in a criminal court.  We
have seen police forces pass the investigation to social services and
failed to follow CPS guidelines by not taking the lead or referring to the
CPS. 
We have seen evidence of sexual discrimination by social workers therefore
want to obtain data if there are any conviction differences between the
father or mother reporting the abuse, (i.e. fathers are not taken
seriously and any investigation is refused or ignored) and to see when
police take the lead if it was only a professional or stranger as the
suspect and only refer to social services if it was a mother or father
report sexual abuse.

During the period of 01st January 2018 to January 2019 we would like to
know the following 
1.      How many new child abuse cases (sexual) (aged 12 and under) have
been reported collectively to your police force?  Please could you break
down statistics in the following format to this and the following
questions; -
•      Reported by the mother or maternal side of the family 
•      Reported by the father or paternal side of the family 
•      Reported by professionals (school, nursery etc.) 
•      Reported by outside persons such as friends, witnesses etc.

And out of these could you subcategorise if the suspect in the child abuse
case was; - 
•      A family member.
•      A friend of the family (i.e. babysitter).
•      A professional (for example care home worker, foster career,
teacher, police officer).
•      A stranger.
Please could you subcategorise: -
•      police took the lead in the investigation.
•      passed to social services to be sole investigator.
•      Joint investigation with social services.
•      Did not investigate or pass on to social services.

2.      As per Q1, How many new child abuse cases (sexual) (aged 12 and
under) have been reported collectively to your police force, please can
you tell me how many cases were referred to the CPS where the police took
lead of investigation, and how many cases were referred to the CPS  where
police passed social services to solely lead the investigation.  Please
also state if the police worked alongside social services.

3.      Within all the cases reported to police (as per Q1), how many
criminal convictions or the case has gone to trial in a criminal court
when police took the lead in the child abuse allegations, and how many
criminal convictions or gone to trial in a criminal court when police
passed sole lead to social services in the investigation.

4.      How many cases have the police refused to investigate child abuse
cases citing reasons such as to the effect “no funds due to cut backs”, or
to the effect “police are not legally required to investigate child
abuse”.  Please go back 5 years on the question, supplying statistics for
each year.

Yours faithfully,

S. Prichard

 

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act).  You will receive a response within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act.  

 

If you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please contact
us at [email address] or on the phone at 0207 161 3500, quoting the
reference number above. Should your enquiry relate to the logging or
allocations process we will be able to assist you directly and where your
enquiry relates to other matters (such as the status of the request) we
will be able to pass on a message and/or advise you of the relevant
contact details. 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

 

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

 

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

 

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

 

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

 

Complaint

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

 

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

 

FOI Complaint

Information Rights Unit

PO Box 57192

London

SW6 1SF

[email address]

 

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.

 

The Information Commissioner

 

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

 

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

 

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113

 

NOTICE - This email and any attachments are solely for the intended
recipient and may be confidential.  If you have received this email in
error, please notify the sender and delete it from your system.  Do not
use, copy or disclose the information contained in this email or in any
attachment without the permission of the sender.  Metropolitan Police
Service (MPS) communication systems are monitored to the extent permitted
by law and any email and/or attachments may be read by monitoring staff. 
Only specified personnel are authorised to conclude binding agreements on
behalf of the MPS by email and no responsibility is accepted for
unauthorised agreements reached with other personnel.  While reasonable
precautions have been taken to ensure no viruses are present in this
email, its security and that of any attachments cannot be guaranteed.

 

Cyclops on behalf of Sarah Strong, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

2 Attachments

 

Official Sensitive

     

 

 

 

Dear Mr Prichard,

 

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/19/002771

 

Please see the attached in respect of your Freedom of Information request
referenced above.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Ms S. Strong

 

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

 

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

 

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

 

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

 

Complaint

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

 

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

 

FOI Complaint

Information Rights Unit

PO Box 57192

London

SW6 1SF

[email address]

 

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.

 

The Information Commissioner

 

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

 

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

 

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113

 

NOTICE - This email and any attachments are solely for the intended
recipient and may be confidential.  If you have received this email in
error, please notify the sender and delete it from your system.  Do not
use, copy or disclose the information contained in this email or in any
attachment without the permission of the sender.  Metropolitan Police
Service (MPS) communication systems are monitored to the extent permitted
by law and any email and/or attachments may be read by monitoring staff. 
Only specified personnel are authorised to conclude binding agreements on
behalf of the MPS by email and no responsibility is accepted for
unauthorised agreements reached with other personnel.  While reasonable
precautions have been taken to ensure no viruses are present in this
email, its security and that of any attachments cannot be guaranteed.

 

Cyclops on behalf of Sarah Strong, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

1 Attachment

 

Official Sensitive

     

 

 

 

Dear Mr Pritchard,

 

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/19/002844

 

I do apologise, you appear to have been sent a duplicate acknowledgement
letter in error.

This case number 19/2844 is in fact a repeat of the same request already
responded to under case number 19/2884 which was sent to you on 20/6/19.

This case is now closed and once again I apologise for any confusion.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Ms S. Strong

 

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

 

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

 

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

 

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

 

Complaint

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

 

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

 

FOI Complaint

Information Rights Unit

PO Box 57192

London

SW6 1SF

[email address]

 

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.

 

The Information Commissioner

 

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

 

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

 

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113

 

NOTICE - This email and any attachments are solely for the intended
recipient and may be confidential.  If you have received this email in
error, please notify the sender and delete it from your system.  Do not
use, copy or disclose the information contained in this email or in any
attachment without the permission of the sender.  Metropolitan Police
Service (MPS) communication systems are monitored to the extent permitted
by law and any email and/or attachments may be read by monitoring staff. 
Only specified personnel are authorised to conclude binding agreements on
behalf of the MPS by email and no responsibility is accepted for
unauthorised agreements reached with other personnel.  While reasonable
precautions have been taken to ensure no viruses are present in this
email, its security and that of any attachments cannot be guaranteed.