The number of crimes recorded by police in England and Wales has hit an all-time high, with a big increase in violent and sexual offences.
A total of 6.5 million crimes were recorded in the 12 months to June, up from the previous record of 6.3 million in the year to March.
The figure is also up 12% compared with the year to June 2021, when crime levels were affected by COVID lockdown restrictions.
However, while the number of recorded sexual offences fell during periods of lockdown, there have been “substantial increases” since April 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The increase could reflect a number of factors, including “the impact of high-profile incidents, media coverage and campaigns on people’s willingness to report incidents to the police” or a “potential increase” in victims.
Crimes against the person also increased, with 2.1 million recorded by police forces, which is an increase of 13% year-on-year and 20% on pre-pandemic levels.
The number of rapes rose by 20% on pre-COVID figures, with 70,600 recorded in the year to June, a new record.
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This figure has nearly doubled in just over six years, from 36,321 in 2015-16.
There were 912,181 domestic abuse offences, 6% more than last year and 14% more than in 2019-20.
Some of this increase “may reflect improvements seen in recording and reporting over the last few years,” the ONS added.
While recorded crime has increased, the latest figures from the ONS suggest total crime fell by about 8% in the year ending in June.
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‘We can’t go on like this – women deserve better’
Victim Support said the figures show that “women deserve better”.
Its chief executive, Diana Fawcett, said: “This huge increase in sexual violence, in particular rape, reported to the police is seriously alarming.”
She added that it is a “stark reminder that the government needs to get a grip on staggeringly low conviction rates and horrendous court delays”.
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“Things simply can’t go on like this – women deserve better,” she said.
Incidents such as the murder of Sarah Everard led Boris Johnson to say it was “infuriating” that cases involving violence against women and girls were not being taken seriously enough by police.
Wayne Couzens, a police officer, was given a whole life sentence on September 21 last year for the kidnap, rape and murder of the 33-year-old marketing executive.
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Knife crime drops lower than pre-pandemic levels
Meanwhile, knife crime and the number of homicides have fallen below pre-pandemic levels.
A total of 49,991 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument were recorded in the 12 months to June, up 8% year-on-year but less than the 55,076 offences in the 12 months to March 2020.
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This was mainly driven by a 27% drop in the number of robberies in which knives were used.
Knife crime fell during the early part of the pandemic due to government restrictions on social contact.
In the year to June, a total of 679 homicides were recorded, 5% fewer than in the year to March 2020.
