Arrests for Drink/Drug Driving (regardless of subsequent conviction )

Summary

The Isle of Man Constabulary provided statistics on drink and drug driving arrests from July 2019 to October 2020, split into two eight-month periods. The response disclosed that while overall offences decreased by 10% in the second period, the average alcohol reading increased by over 50%.

Key Facts

• Period 2 (March 2020 - October 2020) recorded 10% fewer offences than Period 1 (July 2019 - February 2020).
• Average alcohol amounts in Period 2 were over 50% higher than in Period 1.
• The mean alcohol reading was 64 in Period 1 and 99 in Period 2 based on 132 offences with known readings.
• Data was compiled by merging custody records with prosecution cases to include alcohol amounts.
• Some detentions did not result in prosecution due to breath alcohol samples being too low.

Data Disclosed

• 10%
• 50%
• 64
• 99
• 132
• 81
• 51
• 100
• 90
• 190
• July 2019
• February 2020
• March 2020
• October 2020
• 150
• 40
• 80
• 120
• 160
• 200

Original Request

I am looking for statistics since July 2019 for the arrests/detainments in respect of suspected Drink/Drug Driving Offences on Island, also by split of Drink and Drug offences. The aim of this is to see if there has been an increase in offences compared to the previous years. Recent press coverage does seem to point to an increase not only in frequency but also severity. Please would it be possible to provide details of the offence type, alcohol reading and date of offence (or just the month if this provides too much of a narrowing of data to breach GDPR)? Also, providing information as to the offences which resulted in subsequent conviction, so to provide a success rate for arrest/prosecution.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Isle of Man Constabulary Freedom of Information Police Headquarters Dukes Avenue Douglas Isle of Man IM2 4RG

Our ref: 1534086 5 November 2020

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 27 October 2020 and which states:

"I am looking for statistics since July 2019 for the arrests/detainments in respect of suspected Drink/Drug Driving Offences on Island, also by split of Drink and Drug offences. The aim of this is to see if there has been an increase in offences compared to the previous years. Recent press coverage does seem to point to an increase not only in frequency but also severity. Please would it be possible to provide details of the offence type, alcohol reading and date of offence (or just the month if this provides too much of a narrowing of data to breach GDPR)? Also, providing information as to the offences which resulted in subsequent conviction, so to provide a success rate for arrest/prosecution."

Our response to your request is as follows: I have detailed below the information that is being released to you. For purposes of comparison the results have been divided into two eight-month periods -
Period 1: offences committed between start of July 2019 and end of February 2020,
Period 2: offences committed between start of March 2020 and end of October 2020. It should be noted that, apart from their duration, there are significant differences between the two periods, such as first period including winter, and the second period including summer and overlapping Covid-19 pandemic.

Summary 10% fewer offences have been recorded in period 2 than period 1, but they have shown on average alcohol amounts over 50% higher. Analysis Two searches were conducted, one for custody records where at least one of the reasons for arrest included Driving Whilst Unfit Through Drink/Drugs, Driving Whilst Over Prescribed Limit or Drunk in Charge, and a second search for prosecution cases where an offence for a defendant had an alcohol amount recorded. Values for alcohol amounts are not recorded on custody records. These two sources were merged to add alcohol amount to the drink-driving arrests. It should be noted that the method the amount of alcohol was calculated by is recorded for prosecutions (which can be breath, blood or urine), and all prosecutions where amount is greater than 150 were based on blood or urine samples. Not all persons prosecuted for drink-driving offences are detained in the custody suite, and, as a result, do not have a custody record created, these persons were added to arrest data. Some of the detentions which did not progress to prosecutions noted in their outcome that the reason for no further action was “breath alcohol sample too low” without explicitly recording the value. These appear among the results in the <40 column in the following table:

Alcohol Range Date range OFFENCE DESCRIPTION OUTCOME N/K <40 40< 80 80< 120 120< 160 160< 200 200+ Grand Total NO FURTHER ACTION 1 12

13 Driving Whilst Over Prescribed Limit CHARGE 7 18 8 1 1 35 NO FURTHER ACTION 10 13

23 Driving Whilst Unfit Through Drink/Drugs CHARGE 3 3 7 10 2 1 26 Jul 2019 - Feb 2020 Drunk in Charge CHARGE

1 1 1 3 Period 1 Total 21 28 26 19 4 1 1 100 NO FURTHER ACTION 4 3

7 BAIL TO POLICE STATION 4 4 Driving Whilst Over Prescribed Limit CHARGE 2 10 7 1 1 21 NO FURTHER ACTION 8 5

13 BAIL TO POLICE STATION 15 15 Driving Whilst Unfit Through Drink/Drugs CHARGE 5 1 3 7 4 4 24 NO FURTHER ACTION 2

2 Mar 2020 - Oct 2020 Drunk in Charge CHARGE 1 1 2 4 Period 2 Total 41 9 14 16 5 5 90 Grand Total 62 37 40 35 9 1 6 190

It is appreciated that the above table does not easily allow exact comparison of the alcohol values in the two periods. The data where alcohol readings were known was analysed (132 offences included: 81 in period 1, 51 in period 2). The mean average reading was 64 in period 1, and 99 in period 2. 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 <40 40<80 80<120 120<160 160<200 200+ Drink Driving offences by Alcohol amount Jul 2019 - Feb 2020 Mar 2020 - Oct 2020

Please quote the reference number 1534086 in any future communications.

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I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely