Postal Requisition Letters across the MPS area from April 2021 to March 2023

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.033603

I note you seek access to the following information:

1. On how many occasions in financial years (a) 2021/22 and (b) 2022/23 did your force send out Postal Requisition Letters informing suspects that they had been charged with an indictable or either-way offence and giving them a date and time to appear in court.

2. In financial years (a) 2021/22 and (b) 2022/23, how many suspects received Postal Requisition Letters of the type described above informing them that they had been charged with:
(a) murder;
(b) manslaughter;
(c) adult rape;
(d) adult sexual assault;
(e) rape of a child under 13;
(f) sexual assault of a child under 13;
(g) sexual activity with a child;
(h) making an indecent image of a child;
(i) controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship;
(j) Section 2A stalking;
(k) Section 4A stalking;
(l) Section 2 harassment;
(m) Section 4 harassment;
(n) assault occasioning actual bodily harm;
(o) causing grievous bodily harm with intent;
(p) wounding;
(q) wounding with intent;
(r) being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs;
(s) conspiracy to supply a Class A drug;
(t) causing death by dangerous driving;
(u) causing death by careless driving whilst over the prescribed limit;
(v) robbery;
(w) conspiracy to commit robbery;
(x) burglary;
(y) conspiracy to commit burglary; and
(z) theft.

If the requested information needs to be narrowed down in order to bring the required work within the compliance cost limits for the FOI Act, can I suggest focusing firstly on Question 1, and then focusing on the data for 2022/23 in relation to Question 2, prioritising the data requested in the order listed from (a) to (z). If all the requested information for Question 2 (2022/23) can be provided within the compliance cost limits, then I would suggest repeating the same process for 2021/22.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - On how many occasions in financial years (a) 2021/22 and (b) 2022/23 did your force send out Postal Requisition Letters informing suspects that they had been charged with an indictable or either-way offence and giving them a date and time to appear in court.

Please see attached spreadsheet for data relevant to this question.

Please ensure that the data provided is read in conjunction with the notes page of the attached spreadsheet to ensure correct interpretation of the data.

Please note: The data provided discloses the total People Proceeded Against with a Postal Charge Requisition, not the number of ‘Postal Requisition Letters sent’, as information in relation to Postal Requisition Letters sent, is not collated.

Q2 - In financial years (a) 2021/22 and (b) 2022/23, how many suspects received Postal Requisition Letters of the type described above informing them that they had been charged with:

Please be advised that we do not hold information in relation to how many suspects received Postal Requisition Letters. Therefore, no information is held relevant to this question.