FOI 649/25

1. How many defendants did South Wales Police recommend should be remanded by the courts into prison custody over the last 12 months? (April 2024-April 2025)

 

2. With reference only to the two-week period of Monday 23rd September 2024 - Sunday 6th October 2024, please provide:
3. a) The total number of defendants South Wales Police recommended should be remanded into prison custody (i.e. via the MG7 form)
4. b) Out of those defendants the police recommended should be remanded in custody, how many were actually remanded into custody by the courts?

 

Please provide this data broken down by:

1. c) the relevant reasons for opposing bail (as selected on the MG7 form) and
2. d) the most serious offence the defendant was charged with.

 

please limit the answer to this request to the first 100 defendants from that period. Using a previous estimate from South Wales Police that each custody record will take 2 minutes to interrogate (FOI 594/25), I believe this should require approximately 3.5 hours work.

 

 

RESPONSE

 

We consulted with Custody who have provided the following information regarding your request.

 

Question 1

 

BCU	Volume
Cardiff & Vales	1932
Mid Glamorgan	1504
Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot	1596
Grand Total	5032

 

 

Question 2a

 

BCU	Volume
Cardiff & Vale	62
Mid Glamorgan	43
Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot	52
Grand Total	157

Question 2b

 

The first 100 cases from the above figures were analysed. Of the 100 case that a request was made to the Courts for a RIC, 55 were granted by the Court and the defendant was Remanded into Custody following the initial court hearing

 

 

Question 2c

 

There are 5 main criteria for seeking a Remand in Custody:

 

• Failing to surrender to Custody

 

• Committing offences on Bail

 

• Interfere with witnesses or otherwise obstruct the course of justice

 

• Risk of further Domestic Abuse or any other risk of physical or mental injury to persons associated with the defendant

 

• For the defendant’s own protection

 

Of the 100 reviewed cases: The following criteria was evidenced as below. Some cases evidenced 1 area, some all 5.

 

• Failing to surrender to Custody – 72
• Committing offences on Bail – 84
• Interfere with witnesses or otherwise obstruct the course of justice – 38
• Risk of further Domestic Abuse or any other risk of physical or mental injury to persons associated with the defendant - 45
• For the defendant’s own protection - 25

 

 

 

Question 2d

 

Upon review most serious offence are mentioned below:

 

• Attempt Murder
• S18 Assault
• Rape
• Wounding With Intent
• Kidnap