You asked
Please identify the total number of reported indecent images of children offences in the UK for each year, for the past 10 years from 1 January 2009.
Please also identify the total number (or estimation) of unreported indecent images offences in the UK for each year, for the past 10 years from 1 January 2009.
For both of these requests, please include and sub-section all offences related to indecent images of children, including production/making, possession and distribution.
Could you then please identify, using these statistics, the outcome of the investigations of the reported offences.
We said
Thank you for your request relating to crime involving indecent images.
We publish data from Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) and police recorded crime.
Our data relate to England and Wales only. Crime statistics for Scotland are published by the Scottish Government and police recorded crime data for Northern Ireland are published by the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Department of Justice (Northern Ireland).
The number of police recorded offences involving indecent images of children can be found in our Crime in England and Wales: Appendix table A4 under offence code 86 “Obscene publications, etc and protected sexual material” (row 282).
It should be noted that this offence category includes any obscene publications so other offences are also counted under this category. Please see the Home Office Counting rules for recorded crime web page, which explains the offences covered under this category more thoroughly.
The Home Office also publish data on offence outcome. You can find the outcome data for "obscene publications, etc and protected sexual material” in their Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide a further breakdown of this offence category. Police recorded crime and outcome data is collected and managed by the Home Office and they may be able to help you with a further breakdown. You can contact them at: CrimeandPoliceStats@homeoffice.gov.uk
The Crime Survey for England and Wales collects data on unreported crimes but does not ask specifically about unreported crime relating to indecent images, therefore we do not hold this data.
Data related to court statistics are the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice. They can be contacted at the following email address: statistics.enquiries@justice.gov.uk
For future reference, you can email CrimeStatistics@ons.gov.uk and we will endeavour to help.