FOI 0264-2024/25 - Blackmail Crimes

Request

Q1. Are you able to provide year on year data for the Home Office Crime Code 035/00 (Blackmail) recorded by your force between 01/01/2014 and 31/05/2024 inclusive.

Q2. Are you then able to filter this data for the word “sextortion”.

Q3. Are you able to filter this data for the words “learning disabilities” to see if the victim was in this category.

If you are unable to filter for either “sextortion” or “learning disabilities” can you still provide the data set requested in question 1.

Response

Extent and Result of Searches to Locate Information

To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police. I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by North Yorkshire Police.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you.

Q1. Please see the table below showing the total number of blackmail crimes recorded between 01 January 2014 to 31 May 2024, broken down by calendar year.

Q2. Please see the table below showing the total number of blackmail crimes recorded between 01 January 2014 to 31 May 2024,  whereby the term ‘sextortion’ has been filtered on in the summary and MO remarks, broken down by calendar year

Q3. A search of the total number of blackmail crimes recorded between 01 January 2014 to 31 May 2024,  whereby the term ‘sextortion’ has been filtered on in the summary and MO remarks and then a further filtered term of ‘learning disabilities’ has provided a zero result.

Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data.  It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.