Biggest increase in serious crime recorded in rural counties

RURAL counties have recorded the biggest increase in reported serious crime, including sexual offences and assaults.

And serious crime rose twice as fast again in 2002 in the west and north of the country when compared to Dublin, statistics show.

Donegal again recorded the biggest annual increase in serious crime in 2002 out of the 25 garda divisions.

The results follow a similar trend in 2001, when rural counties had the biggest increases in serious crime.

An analysis of the Garda Annual Report 2002 shows that the five divisions recording the biggest overall increases were:

Donegal: 68%.

Roscommon/Galway East: 51%.

Mayo: 48%.

Longford/Westmeath: 41%.

Laois/Offaly: 39%.

Headline offences take in more than 10 separate categories of serious crime.

Labour justice spokesman Joe Costello said it was unusual to have such large increases in rural counties.

"These dramatic increase in rural areas is something that needs to be monitored closely."

Taken as a whole, headline offences in the northern region incorporating the divisions of Donegal, Sligo/Leitrim and Cavan/Monaghan increased by 41%.

The Western Region taking in the divisions of Clare, Galway West, Mayo and Roscommon/Galway East recorded a rise of 34%.

This compares to a national rise of 23% and a rise in the Dublin region of 18%. Likewise, the north and west accounted for the biggest increases in sex offences. The northern region recorded a rise of 126%, including a rise in Donegal of 202% by far the biggest increase in the country.

The western region saw an overall rise of 121%, including a rise of 187% in Roscommon/Galway East.

This compares to a national increase of 63% and a rise in Dublin of 80%. Mr Costello said that much of the increases for sexual offences could be due to greater reporting and a more accessible garda.

Limerick was one of the few divisions to actually report a fall in sexual offences, dropping by 11%.

In relation to assaults, the Eastern Region incorporation Carlow/Kildare, Laois/Offaly, Longford/Westmeath and Louth/Meath scored the biggest increase, with a rise of 79%.

This included a 137% increase in the Carlow/Kildare division.

This compared to a national increase of 58% and a Dublin increase of 47%.

Homicide offences, however, continue to be concentrated in urban areas.

Of the 133 homicide offences last year, 94 (or 71%) took place in the five cities. While the national increase in homicides was 78%, the rise was greatest in the Southern Region (155%) and the Dublin region (96%).

There were 56 homicides in the southern region last year, compared to 51 in Dublin.

In relation to homicides, the report shows:

Offences rose from three to 20 in the Cork city division an increase of 566%.

Offences rose from five to 17 in the Dublin southern division an increase of 240%.

Offences rose from six to 11 in the Dublin north central division an increase of 83%.

Offences rose from 18 to 30 in the Limerick division an increase of 66%.