Lincolnshire Police reveals number of online threats reported

Thousands of reports of online threats and internet abuse are being investigated each year by the police in Lincolnshire and Rutland.

Just under 14,000 incidents have been logged by Lincolnshire Police in the past six years, figures from a Freedom of Information request submitted by LincsOnline have revealed.

Reports have remained relatively steady over the period from 2019 to 2024, averaging at 2,330 each year.

About 90% of these have been ‘screened in’ by the force, a process which involves them being further investigated or reviewed.

The areas with the highest number of reports during the past six years are Lincoln and West Lindsey with 4,609, North and South Kesteven with 3,991 followed by Boston and South Holland with 3,143. The force grouped these by area rather than following LincsOnline’s request for a breakdown by district.

Just under 400 reports were made to the police from outside the force boundary.

The most common way people have reported this type of crime is by calling the non-emergency telephone number 101. Although there have been some instances where people have dialled 999, gone to a police station, or an officer has made the discovery of the offensive material themselves.

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “We would urge everyone to think very carefully about what they say online.

“Careless comments, made in the heat of the moment, may not only be deeply upsetting, they may also constitute a crime.

“Malicious communications include messages that are indecent, grossly offensive or threatening.”

They added: “The upset caused by online abuse should not be underestimated and we would ask that people think twice before posting something maliciously.”

Rutland, which has a population almost 19 times smaller than Lincolnshire, had 127 reports made to Leicestershire Police during the six-year period.

According to the CPS online threats take many forms, including threats to kill, harm or to commit an offence against a person, group of people or organisation.

Making threats on the internet has not always been illegal, but the Online Safety Act 2023 has broadened the scope of existing laws and made it easier to prosecute online threats.

Before that the Malicious Communication Act 1988 and the Communications Act 2003 were used to tackle threats made online.

The Conversation Stamford has been working with parents and children in the area to discuss the pitfalls of smartphones and social media as part of their Cyberwise campaign.

Speaking about whether things are looking up for the younger generation, Sarah Jane Sauntson, director, said: “We are on the cusp of parents realising they need to make some changes.

“It’s too big of an ask for developing teenage brains to resist the powers of huge companies that monopolise their time while growing up with a pressure to fit in and conform with social norms.

“To expect young people to do that on their own is unrealistic.”

The Conversation has also been working with Stamford College, part of The Inspire Education group, on what sexual harassment means and the consequences for perpetrators and victims.

These messages are not only relevant in person but online too.

“We talk about creating a different culture and not fall into the trap of what some might call banter or making misogynistic jokes,” said Sarah Jane.

“It’s how the victim feels rather than the behaviour itself.”