SEX CRIMES AT HIGHEST EVER LEVEL

SEXUAL crimes rose last year to the highest level since records began, official figures show.

There were 15,049 sex crimes recorded in 2021 – a 15 per cent rise from the previous year.

Overall, there were more than 780 crimes recorded every day last year – more than 286,000 in total – data from Scotland’s chief statistician showed. Non-sexual violent crime also rose to 69,286 last year, driven by a 12 per cent increase in the number of common assaults.

Conservative MSP Craig Hoy said: ‘These statistics confirm that violent and sexual crime continues to soar alarmingly under the SNP Government.’