Sharp rise in murder cases is worrying,says McDowell

A SHARP rise in the number of murder cases coming before the courts was described yesterday by the justice minister as worrying, but he claimed it was reassuring that the garda detection rate is high.

Minister Michael McDowell, speaking after he launched the Court Service’s 2002 annual report, claimed six-monthly crime figures to be released next week will show a decline in the murder rate.

Mr McDowell also said the figures will reveal that the number of public order offences, steadily increasing in recent years, is also dropping.