Violent crime figures ‘take the biscuit’

A police and crime commissioner has described examples of incidents his county’s police are having to record as violent crimes as “jaw-dropping”.

They include a man being hit with a biscuit and a child being brushed with a nettle.

Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner Stephen Bett recently asked the county’s Chief Constable to explain a 14% rise in crime.

The PCC was told that due to a change in the way the force had to record certain crimes, numerous incidents were now falling into the violent crime category.

Mr Bett said: “You could not make this up — it’s jaw-dropping. I am sure people will find these examples of what the police are having to record as violent crime hard to believe to say the least.”

A young child was bought a boxing glove by his parents. He was swinging it round and caught his small sibling with it. This was recorded as actual bodily harm.

A woman threw a biscuit at a man which hit him leaving a small red mark. This was recorded as ABH.

Two children were playing together and one brushed a stinging nettle across the other’s arm. This was recorded as ABH.

Two children were playing together doing wheelies on bikes. While doing this, one of them rode into his friend. This was recorded as an assault.