Sharp rise in violent crimes since last year

Violent crimes rose sharply last year with increases in sexual offences, threats of murder, serious assaults, robberies of the person and aggravated burglaries. The rise in sexual offences, which was “witnessed across all regions”, included particularly large increases in aggravated sexual assaults and rape cases.

Figures for 2018 released by the Central Statistics Office also show a rise in fraud offences and a continuing growth in the drugs trade. Rape Crisis Network Ireland said that while there has been year-on-year increases in recorded sexual offences since 2015, an overall increase of 10% in 2018 was “significant”.