Violence against people in rural Wales up by a third in 10 years – Tories

Mar 22 2008 by Tim Lewis, Western Mail

CRIME in rural parts of Wales has risen more sharply than in urban areas over the past decade, according to new figures released by the Conservatives.

Their statistics show for some crimes, such as violence against a person, the number of incidents being recorded has more than trebled.

For Dyfed-Powys and North Wales, the two areas of Wales defined as “rural” by the Government, the total number of crimes committed has risen by more than 20% from 1998-99 to 2006-07.

North Wales had 43,848 recorded crimes between 1998- 99 and this increased by 9,602 (21.9%) to 53,450 in 2006-07.

It saw an increase of 206.7% of violent crimes against a person, up from 4,703 to 14,423. Robberies went up 5.5% from 127 to 134, with burglaries falling 36.8% from 7,226 to 4,565.

There was a 53.8% rise in criminal damage incidents over the period to 14,841 from a previous total of 5,189. Drug crimes also rose in North Wales, 11.7%, from 1,885 to 2,105.

In Dyfed-Powys, total crimes recorded in 1998-99 were 24,588 and went up to 30,124 in 2006-7, a 22.5% increase. Violent crimes against a person were up 64.4% from 4,680 to 7,694 and criminal damage rose 78% from 4,497 to 8,003.

Robberies were up 5% from 42 to 47 and drug crimes were stable at 2,483 to 2,484.

Albert Owen, Labour AM for Ynys Môn, said it was very difficult to compare figures from 10 years ago and now because the way in which crimes are reported has changed dramatically.

He said, “I can’t comment on the specific figures without knowing where they have come from, but the briefings I get with police and the courts in my constituency all point to a decrease in the number of crimes being committed.

“Crimes are recorded more accurately than ever and using a different system to how they were previously, so this will have an effect on figures.

“My constituency is made up of very rural areas but also towns, so how do you differentiate between the two?”

The figures compare to a national average of a 6.2% increase in total crimes recorded, a 108% increase in violence against a person and a 35% rise in criminal damage incidents.

David Davis, Shadow Home Secretary, said, “Crime is Labour’s biggest broken promise and these figures show that rural areas are suffering the most. Despite hundreds of promises and initiatives, Labour have shown they have no fresh ideas of how to tackle rising crime and violence in our communities.”