Nine in 10 crimes go unpunished amid sharp rise in robberies

Crime figures released on same day that police numbers reveal smallest workforce in 20 years

NINE crimes in 10 last year did not result in anyone being charged or appearing in court, it emerged yesterday, as new figures showed that knife crime, murder and robbery have soared.

The proportion of crimes that resulted in charges has fallen from 13.8 per cent in 2016 to just 9.1 per cent in the year up to March 2018.

For theft, the proportion of people being charged is 6.6 per cent, while for criminal damage and arson, the figure was just 5.5 per cent.

Police closed nearly half of all cases because they were unable to identify any suspects.

The figures came as police data showed the number of knife crime offences had risen by 16 per cent to 40,147, the highest level recorded, while murders had risen by 12 per cent to 701, the highest for a decade.

There was also a huge rise in the number of robberies, which went up by 30 per cent, to 77,103. The Office for National Statistics said that the figures suggest there has been “a real change in these crimes”, rather than just improvements in the way the figures are recorded.

Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, is locked in a battle with Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, to secure more funding for front-line policing.

Bill Skelly, who leads the National Police Chiefs’ Council panel on crime statistics, said: “Workforce statistics also released today show officer numbers are at the lowest level since records began in 1996.

“Their role is more challenging than ever as they seek to protect the most vulnerable in society and rising demand amid more complex crime.”

There has been a 56.9 per cent increase in knife crime since 2014, when a low of 25,588 offences was recorded by police.

London experienced the highest increase in knife crime offences, with 2,643 extra offences in the last year – a 22 per cent increase. This surge of knife crime in the capital accounted for almost half of the total increases seen nationally.

Durham had the biggest proportional increase, with offences up by 51 per cent. Humberside, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, Dyfed-powys, Cheshire and Leicestershire all saw rises of a third or higher.

Ché Donald, vice-chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, representing thousands of officers, said: “These new figures are proof, as if we even needed it, that policing in the UK is on the critical list.

“You would think that every time we have the same conversations about rising crime, particularly violent crime, it would be a wake-up call for the Government. But instead it just feels like we are sleepwalking into a nightmare.”

Caroline Youell, head of crime statistics at the Office for National Statistics, said: “There have been increases in some lower-volume ‘high-harm’ offences such as homicide and knife crime, consistent with rises over the past three years. However, the latest rise in gun crime is much smaller than previously seen.

“We have also seen continued increases in some theft offences such as vehicle-related theft and burglary, while computer viruses have fallen.”

Nick Hurd, the policing minister, said: “The Independent Office for National Statistics is clear that the likelihood of being a victim remains low. However, every violent crime is a significant concern and the Government is taking decisive action to tackle it.”