FOI 0042-2026/27- Spiking crimes

Request:

Given your refusal, please accept my amended request:

Q1. For each calendar year between 2017 – 2025 please provide the total number of offences recorded under HOCR codes 088/05 / 008/02

Q2. Please break this down by the following:

a. Suspects and victims by gender

b. The victim ages under the following age groups: under 18, 18-24, 25-34, 35-50, over 50

c. A breakdown of the type of method of spiking using a keyword search of the Modus Operandi with key terms “drink”, “needle” “food”

d. A breakdown of the venue where the spiking occurred

e. A breakdown of the local authority where the spiking occurred

Q3. The outcome of the recorded offences under HOCR 088/05 / 008/02 between 2017 – 2025.

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 following information to you.

Q1. Please see the table below the distinct count of 088/05 or 008/02 crimes recorded between 01 January 2017 and 31 December 2025, broken down by calendar year.

Q2.  Of those above please see the breakdown of victim age and gender as well as offender gender, broken down by calendar year.

*Please note there can be more than one victim/offender linked to a crime

Of those above crimes please see the table below showing the breakdown by safer neighbourhood command (SNC) by calendar year.

Of those above, please see the table below showing the breakdown of MO location broken down by calendar year.

Please see the table below showing where the specified keywords have been searched within the MO remarks, broken down by calendar year.

Q3. Please see the table below showing the crime outcomes broken down by calendar year. I am exempting the yearly breakdown of those not assigned pursuant to Section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act). Please see the exemption explanation below.

Exemption Explanation

Section 40 – Personal Information

Where an individual can be identified by such data, releasing it would clearly breach the first data protection principle of being ‘fair’ to the data subject.

Section 17 of the Act requires North Yorkshire 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.

Section 40(2) is an absolute class based exemption, which does not require a public interest test, but requires the balancing of the legitimate interests of the public against the interests of the individual under the first Data Protection Principle; in that processing of personal data must be lawful and fair (DPA 2018 35(1), EUGDPR Article 5(1)).

This exemption applies because the right given under the FOI Act to request official information held by public authorities does not apply to the personal data of third parties where disclosure of that information would not be fair to the individual, and where there is no legitimate public interest in disclosure.

In all the circumstances of the case it has been determined that the duty to the individual under the Data Protection Act 2018 & EU General Data Protection Regulations, and the public interest in maintaining the exemption from disclosure of personal information held by the force in such instances, outweighs the public interest in disclosure.  In this instance, personal information can only be disclosed to the individual concerned. 

Releasing personal details to a person other than the data subject would not only breach the data subject’s Data Protection rights it may also breach the obligations placed on an authority under the European Convention on Human Rights

Pursuant to Section 17(1) of the Act this letter acts as a refusal notice under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in relation to your request.

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.