“Your life is in immediate danger” - Notts Police issue 248 ‘death threat’ warning letters

Data from a Freedom of Information request by the Press Association shows 248 Osman warnings were issued between 2012 and 2014 by the force.

An Osman warning is a letter sent to an individual by police if they have reason to believe their life could be under threat.

Across Nottinghamshire, 79 warnings were issued in 2012, 90 in 2013 and 79 in 2014.

A total of 1.948 warnings were issued across the UK by 27 police forces since 2012 - but some refused to release data saying it would cost too much.

An example of an Osman warning was released by a police to the BBC, it states: “We are in possession of intelligence which indicates that your life is in immediate danger if you are to attend any meeting particularly in the next few days or in the future with any criminal associates known to you.

“The police have a duty to ensure that you are told about this information. Youy may be in a position to give us further information that may corroborate the above.”

A spokesman for the National Police Chiefs’ Council told the BBC: “Osman warnings are one of a number of options that police forces can use to deal with a situation when there is a threat to an individual’s life.

“The police response will always need to be proportionate and will be relevant to the unique factors of any specific threat situation under consideration, taking into account all available information including the level of the threat and how imminent it is.

“Osman warnings have proved highly effective in the overwhelming majority of cases.”