Malicious Communications Stats
Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FIN/25/003687/U
Version Date: 30/09/2025
The Performance & Analysis Department has provided the following information.
Date Source:
Crime information system – Niche
Data Processing:
Searches were carried out for arrests made with the following offence CJS Codes.
Communications Act:
• CA03005
• CA03006
• CA03007
• CA03008
• CA03009
Malicious Communications Act:
• MT88001
• MT88002
• MT88003
• MT88004
• MT88005
• MT88006
• MT88007
• MT88008
Caveats/Limitations
Data relies on Offences being correctly recorded on Custody Records.
Please may you provide me with:
• The number of arrests your force has made under Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 and Section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988. Can this data be broken down by calendar year, from 2017 to the most recent available year.
| Offence Wording | 2017 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Grand Total |
| Cause to be sent by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter | 4 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 55 |
| Persistently make use of public communication network to cause annoyance / inconvenience / anxiety | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||||
| Send by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing message / matter | 5 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 18 | 8 | 66 |
| Send communication / article of an indecent / offensive nature | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 14 | |||
| Send letter / communication / article conveying a threatening message | 6 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 30 | |
| Send letter / communication / article conveying false information | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||
| Send letter / communication / article conveying indecent / offensive message | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| Grand Total | 20 | 8 | 16 | 28 | 46 | 32 | 24 | 174 |