The number of prosecutions disposed at Crown Court increased 43.4 per cent from 1,312 in 2015 to 1,882 in 2016, reversing the downward trend seen in the years from 2014-2015.

The number of prosecutions at magistrates’ courts fell from 28,004 in 2015 to 25,767 in 2016, a fall of 8.0 per cent.

In 2016, 83.0 per cent (22,956) of prosecutions in all courts resulted in a conviction. This compares with 2015 when 83.2 per cent (24,379) of prosecutions in all courts resulted in a conviction.

The majority, 83.0 per cent (22,937), of prosecutions completed at all courts in 2016, were cases where the defendant was male. In Crown Court, 89.4 per cent (1,682) of prosecutions were against males. In magistrates’ courts, 82.5 per cent (21,255) were against males.

Persons in the 18–24 year old age band accounted for the most prosecutions in court in 2016. They made up 25.9 per cent (7,151) of all prosecutions at courts in Northern Ireland and 26.2 per cent (6,019) of those convicted at all courts in 2016.

Of all offence categories, motoring offences made up the largest proportion of prosecutions at all courts: 11,060 (40.0 per cent of all prosecutions) in 2016.Of all offence categories, drugs offences had the highest conviction rate at all courts, at 94.0 per cent (1,882).

Out of court disposals

A total of 2,898 penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) were issued in 2016, 76.7 per cent of which were to males. Miscellaneous crimes against society constituted the largest proportion of PNDs issued, with 34.6 per cent (1,004) of all PNDs issued for offences in this category.

The number of out of court, diversionary disposals recorded against individuals’ criminal records in 2016 was 5,335, a fall of 10.2 per cent from 5,940 in 2015. Most diversionary disposals were dealt with by way of caution, with 80.7 per cent (4,306) of all diversionary disposals dealt with in this way.

Of all those who received a diversionary disposal in 2016, most were in the younger age categories, with 52.2 per cent (2,784) of all diversionary disposals handed out to the under 25 year old age group.

In 2016, 74.5 per cent (3,972) of all diversionary disposals were handed down to males.

Of all diversionary disposals, 22.2 per cent (1,182) were handed down for drug offences and a further 21.4 per cent (1,140) were for violence against the person offences.