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FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 795-2024
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 5th September 2024 as follows:
For each of the financial years since 2012/13, please could you break down the ages recorded for victims of all of the blackmail offences recorded by the force?
Please feel free to group ages. For instance, if there were 50 recorded blackmail offences for one year you could then provide the ages in groups such as: 5 aged 14; 5 aged 15; 10 aged 16; 20 aged 17; 10 aged 18 etc
Please find the Warwickshire Police response set out below.
Response: I can advise that the requested information is held; however, not all is suitable for disclosure. 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 extremely low numbers in some ages, providing the age breakdown, is likely to lead to the identification of 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 information being provided by breakdown requested.
Information I am able to provide is a breakdown by age bands, which is set out below.
When reviewing the information please note the following:
Age range |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
Total |
10 to 14 |
0 |
6 |
7 |
6 |
13 |
20 |
52 |
15 to 17 |
3 |
5 |
14 |
19 |
54 |
46 |
141 |
18 to 24 |
14 |
24 |
54 |
61 |
98 |
117 |
368 |
25 to 34 |
15 |
15 |
36 |
45 |
73 |
59 |
243 |
35 to 44 |
11 |
12 |
26 |
19 |
28 |
39 |
135 |
45 to 54 |
12 |
13 |
16 |
22 |
18 |
22 |
103 |
55 to 64 |
8 |
8 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
62 |
65 to 74 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
15 |
75 and over |
0 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
Grand Total |
64 |
87 |
169 |
188 |
301 |
319 |
1128 |
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