Court proceedings of animal cruelty offences: FOI release

Information requested

Statistics on court proceedings and outcomes for animal cruelty offences under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 for the five years since 2016-17 to 2020-2021 or as close to this as possible.

Looking for the following both Scotland-wide and in relation to the Grampian, Highland and Islands Sheriffdom:

• The number of people charged for cruelty to animals offences during that time under Animal Health and Welfare (S) 2006
• The number of people convicted for cruelty to animals offences under Animal Health and Welfare (S) 2006
• Of those how many were issued with a custodial sentence
• And what was the average length of those sentences.

Response

The latest available information is for the financial year 2019-20 and is provided in the following tables.

People prosecuted in Scottish courts for animal cruelty offences under the Animal Health & Welfare (Scotland) Act 20061, where main charge, 2016-17 to 2019-20

Scotland	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20
Total prosecuted	73	73	76	79
Guilty	63	63	64	64
Custody	4	4	2	8
Average sentence (days)	205	143	201	282
Grampian, Highlands & Islands sheriffdom
Total prosecuted	8	8	11	12
Guilty	7	8	10	9
Custody	-	-	-	2
Average sentence (days)	-	-	-	259

1. Sections 19-24.
Source: Scottish Government criminal proceedings database

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. The SG criminal proceedings database does not hold information on the number of people charged of an offence. Statistics are presented on the number of people dealt with by the Scottish Criminal Justice System where proceedings have concluded.

However, you may wish to contact the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service at foi@copfs.gov.uk who may be able to help you if you require information on the number of charges reported to them.

About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.