Gun crime highest level in a decade

GUN crime has reached its highest level in a decade in Leicestershire.

Police recorded 115 offences involving firearms in 2018/19 - the highest figure since comparable records began in 2008/09, when 127 crimes took place.

It marks a rise of 53% compared to 75 gun crimes in 2017/18.

It is also more than triple the 32 crimes seen four years ago.

Of the crimes last year, seven involved the firing of so called “lethal barrelled” guns.

They include weapons such as handguns, shotguns and rifles, but don’t include imitation weapons, ball bearing guns and sprays such as CS Gas.

The police force level figures - published by the Office for National Statistics - exclude air weapons, which means the real total is likely to be far higher.

Nationally, air weapons made up 31% of all gun crimes last year.

In recent years, the number of firearm offences has risen, following a long term fall.

Looking across the country, there were almost 10,000 crimes that involved guns in 2018/19.

The 9,787 total offences marked a 4% increase on the year before - and marks a rise of 27% in five years.

However it is still far lower than the 24,094 offences recorded in 2003/04.

In more than half of cases (51%) the weapon was fired, while in the rest it was used as a threat.

People were most likely to use a gun to commit violence against the person, followed by criminal damage, and robbery.

People were shot dead 33 times over the year in England and Wales - three more than in 2017/18.