The vast majority of cases brought under new stalking legislation in the north are dealt with within a year, new data shows.
An update to a recently published report on crime figures shows that out of 62 cases brought before the courts, 90% were dealt with within a year, while 80% were dealt with within the space of 287 days.
The median number of days between the time an offence was reported and court disposal was 183.
New offences related to stalking were introduced through the Protection from Stalking Act (NI) 2022.
The specific crimes under the new legislation are stalking and the offence of threatening or abusive behaviour.
Stalking protection orders (SPOs) and the offence of breaching an SPO were also introduced in October of last year.
The number of prosecutions for stalking and threatening or abusive behaviour brought in the north in the first 12 months since April 2022 was 57.
That figure more than doubled to 142 in the 2023/24 period.
Welcoming the new figures, justice minister Naomi Long said: “The Department of Justice, through the Stalking Implementation Working Group, looked at how we could expand the information we are able to release. I am pleased we are now in position to provide data on the average length of time from when an offence is reported to court disposal.
”We will continue to work with members of the implementation group to assess how the first report, and future reports, can be expanded upon in line with the requirement in the act to publish information which is available to the department.”
The initial data report released in September shows that since the new legislation was introduced, 299 stalking crimes have been reported to the PSNI.
Those convicted can face up to 10 years in prison.
