CSO figures show 1.4% rise in 'headline' crimes last year

The number of "headline" crimes recorded by gardaí last year was up by almost 1,500, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office.

The total number of such crimes was up 1.4% on 2005, mainly due to a sharp increase in the first three months of the year.

The CSO says 60 murders were recorded during the year, up 15.4% on 2005, while manslaughters were down 40% from 10 to six.

Elsewhere, aggravated sexual assaults were up from 7 to 18, but decreases were recorded in most other sexual offences.

Assaults causing harm were also up 6.9% during the year.

Commenting today on the statistics Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell said: “I welcome the figures for the fourth quarter of 2006, which continue the improvement in the headline crime statistics evident since the second quarter of the year.

“Following a worrying increase of 10.1% in the first quarter, there was a slight increase of 0.8% in the second quarter, followed by accelerating decreases of 1.5% and 3.2% in the third and fourth quarters.

“As a result, the outturn for the year was an increase in headline crime of 1.4%, compared with an increase of 3% in 2005. The Garda Commissioner has reported that there was also an increase in the detection rate in 2006 with the overall detection rate at 40%, compared with rates of 36% in 2003 and 35% in 2004 and 2005.”