Sharp rise in sex offences and gun crime

RAPE, serious sex offences and gun crime have jumped in the first half of this year, official statistics show.

But overall, serious crime, murder and serious assaults have fallen.

The figures come as independent legal experts yesterday cast doubt on the accuracy of the statistics.

Comparing the first half of 2003 to the same period in 2004 the figures for headline offences, or serious crime, show:

Female rape cases increased from 190 to 242 - a jump of 27%.

Other rape cases (male and female) rose from 32 to 39 - a rise of 22%.

Cases of aggravated sexual assault rose from 4 to 11 - a jump of 175%.

However, the same figures show that sexual assault cases fell by 40% from 925 to 556 and unlawful carnal knowledge cases from 46 to 33 (a drop of 28%).

"We are concerned that the garda statistics detail an increase by 27% in reported incidences of rape and sexual assault," said Rosemary Daly, chief executive at the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.

She said the figures corresponded to statistics published in their 2003 annual report, which showed a 4% rise in calls relating to adult rape and sexual assault.

Their statistics showed only 30% of people reported the incidents to gardaí and that 20% of these cases were subsequently dropped.

"Sadly, neither the Garda statistics nor the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre statistics reflect the reality of rape and sexual assault in Ireland," said Ms Daly.

Publishing yesterday's figures, Justice Minister Michael McDowell said the rise in rape cases were of "great concern".

But he welcomed the overall drop in sex offences.

Mr McDowell also expressed concern at the rise in shootings, saying he would bring in new legislation to combat gun crime.

Figures show that cases of discharge of firearms jumped by 63% from 99 to 161.

"I am studying proposals for a mandatory minimum sentence for serious firearms offences to guide the judiciary. I believe that such a change is necessary to confront the gun culture and to preserve our status as an unarmed state with unarmed policing."

The statistics also show a 15% rise, from 33 to 38, in armed robberies of security vans delivering cash to ATMs and banks.

Mr McDowell said recent operations by gardaí seemed to have "penetrated" two of the main gangs involved.

Overall, serious crime fell by 7%, including a 29% drop in murder, from 24 to 17, and a 14% fall in serious assaults, from 2,160 to 1,851.

But three legal experts, the only non-government or state members of a committee which reported on the collation of crime statistics, yesterday cast doubt on the entire system.

Fine Gael justice spokesman Jim O'Keeffe also expressed concern that as many as one in five crimes were not reported.