Crime on the rise in Ashfield, official figures show

Nottinghamshire Police recorded 10,411 offences in Ashfield in the 12 months to June, according to the Office for National Statistics.

That was an increase of 7 per cent compared with the previous year, when there were 9,698.

However, at 81.1 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far lower than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 91.3.

The figures come as a victim support group says “women deserve better” after a sharp rise in violent and sexual offences led to a record high for police-recorded crime in England and Wales.

Of the crimes recorded in Ashfield over the last 12 months, 403 were sexual offences – an increase of 40 per cent from the year before.

Meanwhile, violent crime has risen in the area, from 3,753 to 4,008 over this period.

One of the main factors behind this increase was the rise in violence without injury, which rose by 11 per cent, from 1,304 incidents to 1,444.

Across England and Wales there were 70,600 rape offences recorded in the year to June, another record high and an increase of 20 per cent from 59,046 in 2019-20.

The number has nearly doubled in just over six years, from 36,321 in 2015-16.

Diana Fawcett, chief executive at the charity Victim Support, said: “This huge increase in sexual violence, in particular rape, reported to the police is seriously alarming and a stark reminder that the government needs to get a grip on staggeringly low conviction rates and horrendous court delays.

Nationally, domestic-abuse related offences totalled 912,181 in the year to June, up 6 per cent on the previous 12 months and up 14 per cent in 2019-20.

Some of this increase “may reflect improvements seen in recording and reporting over the last few years”, the ONS added.

And theft offences in Ashfield rose by 15 per cent, with 3,077 incidents recorded in the 12 months to June.

At 24.0 crimes per 1,000 people, that was slightly lower than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 26.5.

Crimes recorded in Ashfield included:

403 sexual offences, a rise of 40 per cent; 4,008 violent offences, a rise of 7 per cent; 1,290 incidents of criminal damage and arson, up 2 per cent; 265 drug offences, down 37 per cent; 91 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, a decrease of 14; 886 public order offences, up 6 per cent; 3,077 theft offences, a rise of 15 per cent; 1,404 stalking and harassment offences, up 4 per cent.

Nottinghamshire Police have been approached for comment.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “It is good to see an 8 per cent rise in the volume of charges for rape offences. However, the volume of rapes and sexual offences is very concerning.

“Some of the increase in reporting can be attributed to more victims coming forward, and we welcome that, as these crimes can all too often be hidden.

“We need the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to do more and raise the bar, so that victims know they will be taken seriously and the criminals responsible are put behind bars.”