'Crime wave' despite overall fall in figures

Ireland is being gripped by a mini crime wave despite Garda figures which recorded a drop in the most serious offences, it was claimed today.

Joe Costello, Labour Party justice spokesman, said while headline crime was down 3%, there were more than 100,000 serious crimes during last year.

Figures from the Garda Annual Report for 2003 showed a drop of 3% in headline/serious crime, and 14% in non-headline crime, when compared to those of 2002.

But Mr Costello said figures for the year to date showed a more worrying statistic.

“With gun crime increasing by 40% in the first nine months of 2004, rape increasing by 75% in the same period, and unlawful carnal knowledge increasing by 173% there is certainly no reason for complacency, despite the slight overall drop in headline crime,” he said.

Justice Minister Micheal McDowell welcomed the Garda report and said he was very encouraged the number of murders was declining steadily since 2001.

“Despite the encouraging reduction in crime levels, I, along with the rest of the Government, remain committed to our overall crime strategy.”

Mr McDowell also said the Government was committed to legislative proposals for new Garda powers and the strengthening of council/Garda partnerships.

On the most serious crimes the report showed:

:: Murder was down 13%;

:: Assault causing harm had fallen 22%;

:: Sexual Offences had dropped 22%.

Figures published earlier this week for the first nine months of 2004 showed the trend of falling headline crime had been sustained, with a further 6% decrease in the most serious offences compared to the same period in 2003.

The 2003 report also showed a significant decrease of 14% (48,077) in non-headline offences. Of 33 offence categories, 22 showed a drop and a further two remained at the same level.

Assaults and public order, which the Minister has devoted much of time to tackling, also showed dramatic falls.

:: Assault causing harm (serious) was down 22%.

:: Assault, minor offences, were down 23%

:: Criminal damage offences fell 22%

:: Public order dropped 4%

:: Intoxicating liquor offences were down 4%.

It is believed drops in violence and public order offences followed last year’s Criminal Justice Act and the Intoxicating Liquor Act which give extra power to the Gardaí to deal with public order and street crime.

Mr Costello also called on the Justice Minister to fulfil promises for an extra 2,000 Garda on the streets.