Sexual Assaults

Request Number: FOI/16154

Category: Incident and Crime Statistics - Sexual Offences

Subject: Sexual Assaults

Request and Answer:
Your request for information has now been considered. In respect of Section 1(1)(a) of the Act we can confirm that the Police Service of Northern Ireland does hold some information to which your request relates. The decision has been taken to disclose the following.

Question 1
Please provide data for the Belfast policing district (or the smallest geographical breakdown available that covers Greater Belfast) for each calendar year 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 (or latest available) for the number of recorded sexual assaults.

Question 2
The number of recorded rapes.

Question 3
If available without exceeding FOI cost limits, please also provide the number of charges brought for each category per year.

Question 4
The number of cases resulting in convictions (if recorded at police level or available through linked PPS data).

Clarifications
• I am requesting recorded crime figures, not victim identities or case details, so there should be no privacy concerns.
• If some of the requested conviction data is held by the Public Prosecution Service rather than PSNI, please confirm and provide guidance on how to request it.

Answer 1&2
Police recorded crime rape and sexual assault offences in Belfast Policing District (1 January 2019 – 31st December 2024)

Answer 3 
Police recorded crime rape and sexual assault offences in Belfast Policing District that have had a charge/summons outcome assigned1 in the period 1 January 2019 – 31st December 2024

Answer 4
We do not hold conviction information, this request should be directed to the Department of Justice at [email protected] who will take the lead on answering this part of your request.