Written Question · S3W-36299 · Session 3
How many (a) offences have been recorded and (b) prosecutions there have been in the Lothians region for the (i) sale of alcohol to a perso…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) offences have been recorded and (b) prosecutions there have been in the Lothians region for the (i) sale of alcohol to a person under 18, (ii) purchase of alcohol for consumption by a person under 18, (iii) purchase of alcohol or its consumption in a licensed premises by a person under 18 and (iv) confiscation of alcohol from a person under 18 in each year since 2007-08.
The answer
The available information is given in the following table:
Number of Recorded Offences Related to Underage Alcohol Consumption1, in the Lothians2 Region, 2008-09 to 2009-10
Recorded offence
| 2008-09
| 2009-10
Sale of drink to person under 181
| 97
| 50
Person under 18 buying excisable liquor or consuming in bar
| 5
| 7
Purchasing excisable liquor for consumption by person under 18
| 32
| 21
Confiscation of alcohol from person under 18
| 0
| 0
Total
| 134
| 78
Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services.
Notes:
1. Covers crime categories sale of drink to person under 18 and wholesaler selling liquor to person under 18, although no crimes of the latter have been recorded in the years reported.
2. The Lothians region consists of the local authority areas of City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian.
For data on the financial year 2007-08, I refer the member to questions S3W-26512 and S3W-26513 which were both answered on 7 September 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
In 2008-09, the latest year for which court proceedings data is available, there were 27 convictions for sale of alcohol to a person under 18. This covers the crime categories sale of drink to person under 18 and wholesaler selling liquor to person under 18, although no convictions of the latter have been recorded in the year reported. There were 15 convictions for purchasing alcohol for consumption by a person under 18.
In 2008-09, there were no convictions in the Lothians region for purchase of alcohol or its consumption in a licensed premises by a person under 18 or confiscation of alcohol from a person under 18.
Please note that prosecution is not the sole course taken in dealing with these offences. Where persons under 18 possess alcohol in a public place, the police have powers under section 61 of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997 to confiscate this alcohol and dispose of it. If the alcohol is surrendered to the police, it is not an offence and so is not included in the recorded crime statistics. It is, however, an offence to fail to comply, for example by failing to surrender the alcohol or by failing to give name and address if requested. During the years reported, for the Lothians region, there were no recorded instances of persons under 18 failing to comply with such a request.
It should be noted that statistics dealing with court proceedings and recorded crime are not directly comparable as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime involving mor
Number of Recorded Offences Related to Underage Alcohol Consumption1, in the Lothians2 Region, 2008-09 to 2009-10
Recorded offence
| 2008-09
| 2009-10
Sale of drink to person under 181
| 97
| 50
Person under 18 buying excisable liquor or consuming in bar
| 5
| 7
Purchasing excisable liquor for consumption by person under 18
| 32
| 21
Confiscation of alcohol from person under 18
| 0
| 0
Total
| 134
| 78
Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services.
Notes:
1. Covers crime categories sale of drink to person under 18 and wholesaler selling liquor to person under 18, although no crimes of the latter have been recorded in the years reported.
2. The Lothians region consists of the local authority areas of City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian.
For data on the financial year 2007-08, I refer the member to questions S3W-26512 and S3W-26513 which were both answered on 7 September 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
In 2008-09, the latest year for which court proceedings data is available, there were 27 convictions for sale of alcohol to a person under 18. This covers the crime categories sale of drink to person under 18 and wholesaler selling liquor to person under 18, although no convictions of the latter have been recorded in the year reported. There were 15 convictions for purchasing alcohol for consumption by a person under 18.
In 2008-09, there were no convictions in the Lothians region for purchase of alcohol or its consumption in a licensed premises by a person under 18 or confiscation of alcohol from a person under 18.
Please note that prosecution is not the sole course taken in dealing with these offences. Where persons under 18 possess alcohol in a public place, the police have powers under section 61 of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997 to confiscate this alcohol and dispose of it. If the alcohol is surrendered to the police, it is not an offence and so is not included in the recorded crime statistics. It is, however, an offence to fail to comply, for example by failing to surrender the alcohol or by failing to give name and address if requested. During the years reported, for the Lothians region, there were no recorded instances of persons under 18 failing to comply with such a request.
It should be noted that statistics dealing with court proceedings and recorded crime are not directly comparable as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime involving mor
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-36299 by reference.