Crimes relating to dating Apps or websites (FOI)

​Request

I would like to know how many reported crimes there have been between 2012 and 2017 by quarter which have been linked to dating apps or dating websites of any kind.

With this information I would also like a brief description of how the dating app is linked to the incident, for example, did the offender use the app / site to groom the victim? Was the app / site used by an offender to meet the victim before sexually assaulting them?

I would like this information broken down by year and quarter in a year / figure table.

Separately, I would like another table with the incident descriptions and number of incidents relating to each description.

If breaking the incidents down by quarter as well as year would not be possible for legal / cost reasons, by year only is also acceptable.

Response

The term ‘Dating App’ (Application) or ‘Dating website’ is not used by the States of Jersey Police to categorise any crime. Using the search term ‘Dating App’ within the crime recording system reveals a total of 19 incident files where that term is used between the dates requested. Using the term ‘Dating Web’ produced a further 36 incident file records.

Each of these records has been researched. In the majority of cases, the use of the dating App / website was ancillary to any offences committed. For example, a domestic situation arose due to one partner finding the other using a dating App.

In most of the cases where the App or website was used to facilitate a crime, that crime was fraud. Either a man or woman will befriend another on line and eventually ask for money. Either for flights to come and visit, for a sick relative to receive medical help or funds to help release a larger sum whereby the victim is led to believe they will receive a portion of the released funds. None of these suspects were in Jersey and all cases are referred onwards to the Action Fraud team run by the City of London Police.

The following are the only cases recorded between 2012 and 2017, where the App or website was used to facilitate a meeting and a criminal act followed, or to share indecent images of children.

2016: Female sent pictures of her daughter to a male she met on a dating website. Both arrested.

2016: Having contacted a male on a dating app, female met the same and spent the night. A second male present in the premises (lodger) was later accused of a sexual assault on the female. No allegation that the first male was in collusion with the second male. Second male arrested.

2016: Individual sent photos to a contact via an App. When more intimate photos were requested, contact was ended.

2016: Contact and distance relationship formed. Never met. When one party ended contact, was subjected to continual threats and abuse from the other party. Arrested.

2016: Couple on dating web site, met and spent night together. Allegation of rape made to police following day but victim declined to name suspect or help police any further.

2017: Two individuals met via dating App, allegation of sexual assault made. Conversations via App and text before and after event showed allegation to be false.

2017: Male contacted other males on dating web site. Indecent images of children shared. Both arrested.

2017: Couple met after contact via dating website. Allegation of indecent assault followed. Male arrested.