Soaring juvenile crime fuelled by alcohol

JUVENILE crime, fuelled by excessive drinking, is soaring out of control, according to the latest garda figures.

The number of teenagers arrested for being drunk and disorderly rose by 45% in 2001. In the same period, the number of prosecutions for the purchase and possession of alcohol more than doubled.

The figures show a worrying rise in crime last year, across a range of categories, with serious assault up 66%, drink-related offences up 85%, theft up 14% and burglary up 14%.