Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted of grave robbery in each year since January 2011.

Grave robbing is an appalling offence, though instances are fortunately rare. The theft of items from graves is a heartless and callous crime which can have a devastating impact on bereaved relatives and friends. If the offenders responsible are detected they can expect to feel the full force of the law.

The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. However, not all offences are individually reported within the centrally held data. Offences of grave robbery are reported as part of a wider group of offences and cannot be separately identified from other offences under the Theft Act. This detailed information is not reported to Justice Statistics Analytical Services due to its size and complexity and as such, it can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.