Violent Crime Soars in Leicester

New figures obtained by Parmjit Singh Gill, Member of Parliament for Leicester South, can today reveal that serious crime in Leicester is growing at an alarming rate. These figures show that since 1999 the level of recorded violent crime has risen by an average of nearly 17%. That's a rise of 66% in only four years, with 6,851 cases recorded in 1999/2000 soaring to 11,430 cases in 2003/2004.

Analysis reveals some worrying trends in the rise of violent crime:

* Violent Crime has soared by an average of nearly 17% a year.

* Violent crime is projected to double in only a SIX year period!

Further analysis shows that the number of police in the area has increased by an average of only 3.6% a year, in the same period. Additionally, the number of Police stations in the Leicestershire area has only increased by two since 1997 (in fact, 11 have opened and 9 have been closed!)

Commenting, Parmjit said,

"This rise is highly worrying. With violent crime soaring, it's crazy that police numbers are lagging way behind.

"The police do an excellent job, often in exceptionally difficult circumstances, but they need the resources and manpower to do that job properly.

"My party and I are proposing to put an additional 10,000 policemen on the beat where they are needed most".

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. The number of violent crimes in Leicester has risen by nearly 66% in only four years. If the number of cases continues to increase at the same rate the level of violent crime is set to have doubled by 2006.

Year Number of offences

1999-2000 6,851

2000-01 6,889

2001-02 7,544 Total Percentage Growth 66.84%

2002-03 10,347 Average Annual Growth 16.71%

2003-04 11,430

2004-05 13,340 PROJECTED GROWTH

2005-06 15,569 13,702 would represent a doubling in the

2006-07 18,170 number of violent crimes since 1999-2000.

The figures for 2004 to 2007 have been calculated using the average annual growth of violent crime measured between 1999 and 2004.

2. These violent crime figures were gained in response to a Parliamentary Question tabled by Parmjit Singh Gill MP to the Home Office. The response was recorded in the House of Commons Official Record, Hansard. As below.

Violent Crime (Leicester)

Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the level of violent crime in Leicester was in each year since 1997. [186262]

Ms Blears: Leicester is a Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area. Recorded crime data at CDRP level has only been published from 1999-2000 onwards. Violent crime comprises violence against the person, sexual offences and robbery. In 2003-04, at least 52 per cent. of all recorded violence against the person involved no injury.

The available information is given in the table.

Violent crime recorded by the police in Leicester Number of offences

1999-2000 6,851

2000-01 6,889

2001-02 7,544

2002-03 10,347

2003-04 11,430

3. The number of police on the streets has increased at a much slower rate than the increase in violent crime. Over the same four year period the number of police increased by just 14.25%. That's an average of only 3.6% each year compared to violent crime, which has increased at nearly 17%.

Year Leicestershire Police Numbers Annual Percentage Rise

2000 1,993

2001 2,032 1.96%

2002 2,100 3.35%

2003 2,114 0.67%

2004 2,277 7.71%

TOTAL RISE 14.25%

Police Service strength data for England and Wales, at 31 March 2004, was released in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin on 29 September 2004.

4. The number of Police Stations which have closed and opened in Leicester was gathered in response to a Parliamentary Question by Mark Oaten MP. The reply is given below and further details were taken from the House of Commons Library.

Police Stations

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations have (a) closed and (b) opened in each police force authority area in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement. [182091]

Ms Blears: A full survey of police stations in each police authority area, closed or opened from 1992-93 to 2002-03, was undertaken in 2003. I have placed in the Library a copy of the results. Data are not available for years before 1992-93.

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