Serious assaults and violence against gardaí rise sharply

Provisional stats issued by An Garda Síochána show noticeable increases in many categories of crime when comparing 2022 to 2019, including thefts, murders, and sexual violence

The figures compare 2022 with 2019, the last full year before Covid-19.

Serious assaults reported to gardaí jumped by 16% over the last three years, new figures show.

And assaults — both serious and less serious attacks — and obstruction of garda members rose by 27% in the same period.