FOI 169-2024 / Feb 2024 / Child abductions
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 169-2024
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 8th February 2024 as follows:
Could you please provide a count for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 of:
- child abductions by a parent (Home Office classification 13/13), child abductions by other persons (Home Office classification 13/2), kidnappings (Home Office classification 36/1) when the victim was aged under 18 at the time of the offence.
- child abductions where a parent abducted children to 1980 Hague Convention States v non-Hague Convention States
Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in providing the response to your request and for any inconvenience this may have caused you. Please find the Warwickshire Police response set out below.
Q1 response:
|
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
Total |
|
Child abductions by a parent (Home Office classification 13/1) |
5 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
15 |
|
Child abductions by other persons (Home Office classification 13/2) |
8 |
|
5 |
7 |
2 |
22 |
|
Kidnapping (Home Office classification 36/1) |
4 |
7 |
5 |
4 |
11 |
31 |
|
Grand Total |
17 |
10 |
13 |
13 |
15 |
68 |
*please note that the information includes attempt offences
Q2 response: I can advise that the requested information is held; however, it not suitable for disclosure in the requested format.
Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, requires Warwickshire Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which:
(a) states that fact,
(b) specifies the exemption in question and
(c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.
The exemption applicable in this case is:
Section 40(2) Personal Information
Section 40 is an absolute class-based exemption, which does not require evidence of the harm disclosure would cause and does not require consideration of a public interest test. That being said, where Section 40(2) is engaged, in order to make the exemption absolute there needs to be evidence that a Data Protection Principle would be breached by disclosure.
This exemption is engaged where disclosure of information relates to personal data of a third party or could lead to the identification of an individual, either from that information alone or combined with any other information from within the Police Service or public domain. In this case, due to low numbers, providing the breakdown by year is likely to provide information in relation to an individual. Such a disclosure would breach individuals’ rights under the Data Protection Act 2018, in particular Article 5(1) of the GDPR which states that personal data shall be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject.
This letter serves as a refusal notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act in relation to this element of the request. Instead, a breakdown has been provided across the entire period.
|
Child Abduction - Abduction of a child by parent |
|
|
Hague convention country Y/N |
Total |
|
N |
2 |
|
Y |
12 |
|
Not applicable* |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
15 |
*attempt offence
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible.
Your attention is drawn to the below which details your right of complaint.
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write or email the Freedom of Information Unit quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Officer
Freedom of Information Unit
Warwickshire Police
PO Box 4
Leek Wootton
Warwickshire
CV35 7QB