Violent offences increase despite crime fall

The coronavirus pandemic sparked a fall in Northumberland’s crime rate last year – but violent crimes increased, official police records reveal.
The pandemic has caused a fall in crime rates in NorthumberlandThe pandemic has caused a fall in crime rates in Northumberland
The pandemic has caused a fall in crime rates in Northumberland

Northumbria Police recorded 8,523 incidents of violent crime in Northumberland in the 12 months to September, according to the Office for National Statistics.

That was an increase of five per cent on the previous year.

The total number of offences in Northumberland fell by five per cent, with police recording 23,158 crimes over the course of the year.

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This puts the overall crime rate at 71.8 per 1,000 people, compared to a national average of 83.5.

One of the main factors behind the increase in crimes of violence in the area was a 27% rise in stalking and harassment, which rose from 2,495 incidents to 3,165.

Offences of violence with injury were recorded 2,324 times- two per cent up on the previous year.

Crimes recorded in the area included:

*727 sexual offences, down three per cent.

*6,047 theft offences, down 17%.

*3,335 incidents of criminal damage and arson, down 10%.

*451 drug offences, up 33%.

*162 firearms or knife possession, down nine per cent.

*3,184 public order offences, down three per cent.

Nationally, police recorded six per cent fewer crime – around 5.7 million offences.

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Helen Ross, from the ONS Centre for Crime and Justice, said: “The coronavirus pandemic and related lockdown restrictions have resulted in fluctuations in the level of crime.

“The data showed decreases in crime at the start of the pandemic, with rises seen over the summer months, specifically in theft, following the easing of lockdown measures, with overall crime now back at pre-lockdown levels of January to March 2020.

“There were also fluctuations in police recorded crime, but total recorded offences for July to September 2020 were below that seen in the same period in 2019.”

However, this was followed by a sharp increase in the three months to September.

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Children’s charity Barnardo’s warned that offences could “erupt” once the latest lockdown is eased.

Chief executive Javed Khan said: “Children and young people have spent months out of school and away from their support networks, leaving many vulnerable to exploitation and control by criminal gangs.”