Alcohol-fuelled street crime doubled last year, Garda report shows

TWENTY-five people are assaulted every night in alcohol-related attacks, new garda figures show.

The report from the Department of Justice shows that 78,000 public order offences were recorded in the last year an average of 210 a day.

In the 12 months from February 23, 2002, to March 2, 2003, there were 9,270 assaults, 3,000 of which resulted in serious harm.

In the same period, public order offences almost doubled, up from 17,805 in 2001 to 33,792 last year.

"These are incredible statistics almost 80,000 crimes detected in the space of just over 12 months by one garda operation, namely Operation Encounter," Labour Party justice spokesman Joe Costello said.

Operation Encounter was launched by Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne on February 23 last year.

It was set up to deal with drink-related crime, focusing on pubs, nightclubs and fast-food restaurants.

The operation highlighted an alarming increase in street crime over the previous year, 2001 including:

* 33,792 incidents of public drunkenness detected last year, compared to 17,805 in 2001;

* 22,404 incidents of threatening behaviour, compared to 15,718 in 2001;

* 10,027 cases of failing to comply with a garda direction, compared to 4,502 in 2001;

* 4,993 cases of disorderly conduct, compared to 2,924 in 2001.

The new figures also show the extent to which minors are able to get their hands on alcohol.

Gardaí detected 521 cases where licensed premises sold or supplied alcohol to minors, a two-fold increase on 2001.

Deputy Costello said the new figures showed yet again the damage being caused by alcohol.

"It highlights the effects alcohol is having on society. It's something that is being focused on at the moment and something I intend to push."

Deputy Costello said he would be asking the Minister of Justice Michael McDowell what percentage of these detections have resulted in charges.

A justice spokesperson said yesterday that additional garda resources had been made available to carry out Operation Encounter, which is still ongoing.

He said the Minister has also proposed a series of legislative changes to deal with under-age drinking, as well as licensed premises and take-aways associated with drunken hooliganism.