Instances of evidence submitted for TVL to obtain search warrants

The request was partially successful.

Dear Her Majesty’s Courts and the Tribunals Service,

I would like information on the following points:

1, How many search warrants have been applied for by TV Licensing/Capita/BBC or thier employees/agents in the search for tv licence evaders during the last 5 years(or any period you may have on record if this is more convenient to obtain)

2, of the applications how many were granted in the same period?

3, of the granted warrants how many used evidence obtained and demonstrated from detector devices other than human 'statements' to secure the warrant.

4, of the granted warrants issued, how many led to successful convictions.

5, can you also confirm or deny that JP's are educated/trained/briefed on TV licence enforcement law and methods of detection in order to grant and hear such cases and where could one find this training literature.

Please deal with this request under the freedom of information act.

Yours faithfully,

Gavin Briggs

Weston, Bob (Gloucester),

1 Attachment

Hello Mr Briggs,
Please find attached an acknowledgement of your recent request.  
 

Bob Weston

Data Quality Manager

HMCTS - Performance, Analysis and Reporting Team

Tel: 01452 334448 or 0203 3345511 

E [email address]

1st Floor | Twyver House | Bruton Way | Gloucester | GL1 1PE

" I am not authorised to bind the Ministry of Justice contractually, nor
to make representation or other statements which may bind the Ministry of
Justice in any way via electronic means".

 

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Weston, Bob (Gloucester),

1 Attachment

Hello Gavin Briggs.
Please find attached a response to your recent request. 
 

Bob Weston

Data Quality Manager

HMCTS - Performance, Analysis and Reporting Team

Tel: 01452 334448 or 0203 3345511 

E [email address]

1st Floor | Twyver House | Bruton Way | Gloucester | GL1 1PE

" I am not authorised to bind the Ministry of Justice contractually, nor
to make representation or other statements which may bind the Ministry of
Justice in any way via electronic means".

 

This e-mail (and any attachment) is intended only for the attention of
the addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying
is not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy
all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail.

Internet e-mail is not a secure medium. Any reply to this message
could be intercepted and read by someone else. Please bear that in
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Gavin left an annotation ()

So, I need to know which court and narrow the search down to maximum of 3 years, I would suggest everyone sends in a reqest and hopefully we can collectively cover the 225 courts mentioned in Bob's response.

As I'm from Sheffield I will plump for that and see what bob has to say.

Funny how question 5 wasn't answered though!

Dear Weston, Bob (Gloucester),

Can you re run my FOI request for:

Sheffield
Rotherham
Barnsley
Doncaster
Leeds
Manchester
London
Liverpool
Norwich
Northampton
Bristol
Birmingham

You may limit the data to comply with the cost policy for amount of years but please supply as much as you possibly can.

Also, why wasn't question 5 answered, can you please answer question 5 as this would, I assume be a uniform guide for all courts in the land.

Yours sincerely,

Gavin

Weston, Bob (Gloucester),

Hello Mr Briggs,

Section 12 of FOIA allows a public authority to refuse to deal with a request where it estimates that it would exceed the appropriate limit to: - either comply with the request in its entirety or; - confirm or deny whether the requested information is held.
There is no obligation upon public authorities to work up to the appropriate limit automatically.

Training of judiciary is undertaken by the Judicial College. As the question was asked alongside questions on the number of warrants which fall under Section 12(1) we were unable to answer it on this occasion. Magistrates serve on a voluntary basis and do not need law qualifications, they are advised by legal advisers on the law and legal procedures in accordance with the The Courts Act, 2003, the Justices' Clerks Rules, Practice Directions and protocols.

Information on the training of magistrates and legal advisers is available at the following link:

http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/training-sup...

Bob Weston

Data Quality Manager

HMCTS - Performance, Analysis and Reporting Team

Tel: 01452 334448 or 0203 3345511

E [email address]

1st Floor | Twyver House | Bruton Way | Gloucester | GL1 1PE

" I am not authorised to bind the Ministry of Justice contractually, nor to make representation or other statements which may bind the Ministry of Justice in any way via electronic means".

show quoted sections

Dear Weston, Bob (Gloucester),

I am a little confused Bob, in your response it states that you could compile 1 year's data for 26 courts to comply with section 12, I have then asked for the data for 12 courts and for it to be kept within section 12 of FOIA's permitted costs.

So, I would like my original data request to be made for the 12 courts I detailed and you may limit the data to 2 years as per your estimated possible costs.

If you envisage the costs being higher per court you may ask them to supply only 1 year. I add this comment to allow you to comply with section 12 and supply the data as effectively as possible.

Please also disregard question 5 as you provided the link to the information I requested.

Many thanks.
Yours sincerely,

Gavin

Weston, Bob (Gloucester),

1 Attachment

Hello Gavin Briggs,
Please find attached an acknowledgement of your recent request.
 

Bob Weston

Data Quality Manager

HMCTS - Performance, Analysis and Reporting Team

Tel: 01452 334448 or 0203 3345511 

E [email address]

1st Floor | Twyver House | Bruton Way | Gloucester | GL1 1PE

" I am not authorised to bind the Ministry of Justice contractually, nor
to make representation or other statements which may bind the Ministry of
Justice in any way via electronic means".

 

This e-mail (and any attachment) is intended only for the attention of
the addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying
is not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy
all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail.

Internet e-mail is not a secure medium. Any reply to this message
could be intercepted and read by someone else. Please bear that in
mind when deciding whether to send material in response to this message
by e-mail.

This e-mail (whether you are the sender or the recipient) may be
monitored, recorded and retained by the Ministry of Justice. E-mail
monitoring / blocking software may be used, and e-mail content may be
read at any time. You have a responsibility to ensure laws are not
broken when composing or forwarding e-mails and their contents.

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

Weston, Bob (Gloucester),

1 Attachment

Hello Mr Briggs,
Please find attached a response to your recent request.
 

Bob Weston

Data Quality Manager

HMCTS - Performance, Analysis and Reporting Team

Tel: 01452 334448 or 0203 3345511 

E [email address]

1st Floor | Twyver House | Bruton Way | Gloucester | GL1 1PE

" I am not authorised to bind the Ministry of Justice contractually, nor
to make representation or other statements which may bind the Ministry of
Justice in any way via electronic means".

 

This e-mail (and any attachment) is intended only for the attention of
the addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying
is not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy
all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail.

Internet e-mail is not a secure medium. Any reply to this message
could be intercepted and read by someone else. Please bear that in
mind when deciding whether to send material in response to this message
by e-mail.

This e-mail (whether you are the sender or the recipient) may be
monitored, recorded and retained by the Ministry of Justice. E-mail
monitoring / blocking software may be used, and e-mail content may be
read at any time. You have a responsibility to ensure laws are not
broken when composing or forwarding e-mails and their contents.

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
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Dear Weston, Bob (Gloucester),

Bob, can you please supply the information for Sheffield and Northampton .

Yours sincerely,

Gavin

Weston, Bob (Gloucester),

Hello Mr Briggs.
I will raise this as a new Freedom of Information Act request and will contact you shortly.

Bob Weston

Data Quality Manager

HMCTS - Performance, Analysis and Reporting Team

Tel: 01452 334448 or 0203 3345511

E [email address]

1st Floor | Twyver House | Bruton Way | Gloucester | GL1 1PE

" I am not authorised to bind the Ministry of Justice contractually, nor to make representation or other statements which may bind the Ministry of Justice in any way via electronic means".

show quoted sections

Weston, Bob (Gloucester),

1 Attachment

Hello Mr Briggs,
Please find attached an acknowledgement of your recent request.
 
 

Bob Weston

Data Quality Manager

HMCTS - Performance, Analysis and Reporting Team

Tel: 01452 334448 or 0203 3345511 

E [email address]

1st Floor | Twyver House | Bruton Way | Gloucester | GL1 1PE

" I am not authorised to bind the Ministry of Justice contractually, nor
to make representation or other statements which may bind the Ministry of
Justice in any way via electronic means".

 

This e-mail (and any attachment) is intended only for the attention of
the addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying
is not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy
all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail.

Internet e-mail is not a secure medium. Any reply to this message
could be intercepted and read by someone else. Please bear that in
mind when deciding whether to send material in response to this message
by e-mail.

This e-mail (whether you are the sender or the recipient) may be
monitored, recorded and retained by the Ministry of Justice. E-mail
monitoring / blocking software may be used, and e-mail content may be
read at any time. You have a responsibility to ensure laws are not
broken when composing or forwarding e-mails and their contents.

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

Weston, Bob (Gloucester),

1 Attachment

Hello Mr Briggs,
Please find attached a response to your recent request.
 

Bob Weston

Data Quality Manager

HMCTS - Performance, Analysis and Reporting Team

Tel: 01452 334448 or 0203 3345511 

E [email address]

1st Floor | Twyver House | Bruton Way | Gloucester | GL1 1PE

" I am not authorised to bind the Ministry of Justice contractually, nor
to make representation or other statements which may bind the Ministry of
Justice in any way via electronic means".

 

This e-mail (and any attachment) is intended only for the attention of
the addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying
is not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy
all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail.

Internet e-mail is not a secure medium. Any reply to this message
could be intercepted and read by someone else. Please bear that in
mind when deciding whether to send material in response to this message
by e-mail.

This e-mail (whether you are the sender or the recipient) may be
monitored, recorded and retained by the Ministry of Justice. E-mail
monitoring / blocking software may be used, and e-mail content may be
read at any time. You have a responsibility to ensure laws are not
broken when composing or forwarding e-mails and their contents.

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.