Violent crime and sex offences on the rise across Derbyshire

Latest Derbyshire Constabulary statistics show that recorded crime in the county increased slightly during 2015-16, compared with the previous 12 months.

The end-of-year figures for the force, show that crime rose by 2.6 per cent, from 51,687 to 53,007.

Chief Constable Mick Creedon said: “The slight increase in crime is expected to reflect a national trend. However, it’s important people realise that since the national crime standards were introduced in 2002/2003 the amount of crime in the county has halved. There were more than 50,000 fewer victims last year than in 2002/03.”

Reported violent crime rose by 24 per cent from 10,033 to 12,463.

However, police say 4,998 of those offences were “violence without injury”, where the victim was not hurt.

There was also a 27 per cent increase in sexual offences, which police say is a result of victims now feeling more confident to report such crimes.

House burglaries fell by 3.8 per cent and thefts dropped 
7 per cent.

Mr Creedon said the 53,000 crimes do not represent the full range of offending.

He said: “The figures don’t properly reflect the more complex and hidden offences we deal with either, such as drug trafficking, slavery, child abuse and child grooming and sexual exploitation.

“In response to these complex crimes, Derbyshire Police are putting more resources into investigating and trying to prevent these offences.

“This means officers and staff working out of the public eye, covertly and particularly in new areas such as historical abuse investigations and specialising in cybercrime and digital examinations.”

Across Chesterfield borough, the number of recorded crimes decreased slightly from 5,968 in 2014 to 5,831 last year.

However the statistics, revealed following a Freedom of Information request by the Derbyshire Times, show that rapes, other sexual offences, violence with injury and burglaries were all up last year compared to 2014.

Chesterfield Inspector, John Turner, said: “The rise of violent crime is a national trend.

“In terms of sexual offences, a lot more people are reporting these types of crimes.

“We do not think that more sexual offences are being committed.

“We are aiming to reduce crime as we have done ever year.

“I think it is one in the last 10 years where crime has increased.”