Latest news with #AngelaConstance
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Sex crimes in Scotland at second-highest level in 54 years
Opposition politicians blamed the rises on 'savage' cuts to frontline policing under the SNP government, which was accused of bringing the justice system to 'breaking point'. Liam Kerr, the Scottish shadow justice secretary, said: 'These shocking rises are the inevitable consequence of the SNP's savage and sustained cuts to frontline policing. 'Whether it's sexual crimes, other violent offences, shoplifting or domestic abuse, the trend is up, and Scotland's streets are becoming less safe. 'The increase in weapons being carried by school pupils exposes the epidemic of violence in Scotland's schools – and the woeful inadequacy of nationalist ministers' response to it.' 'Multiple' explanations Justice Secretary Angela Constance expressed concern over the rise in reported sexual crimes, but said that 'multiple factors' were responsible. She said these included efforts to tackle sexual offending by increasing confidence in the justice system so more victims come forward, improving support for victims and modernising the law on sexual offences. According to official data, recording of overall crime remains below the level prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and down 51 per cent from its peak in 1991. Damage and reckless behaviour crimes decreased to their lowest level since 1976, from 41,129 to 38,738. However, crimes against society, including drug possession, increased by 3 percent from 61,650 to 63,398 while lower-level offences such as road traffic and antisocial offences rose slightly from 174,073 to 175,919. Violent crime decreased Ms Constance pointed out that violent crime was down significantly in the past 20 years, with serious assaults and homicide levels at record lows. She said: 'However, we cannot afford to be complacent and I have been consistently clear that any instance of violence is one too many. 'That is why we are taking a wide range of actions to prevent, reduce and tackle violence, with more than £6 million funding invested over the past three years.' Scotland is 'a safe place to live' Addressing the wider drop in reported crime, Ms Constance added: 'These figures show that Scotland continues to be a safe place to live with reported crime falling by more than half since 1991. 'This comes on the back of the flagship Scottish Crime and Justice Survey which also showed people feel safer in their communities.' The Scottish government said £4.2 billion will be invested this year across the justice system including a record £1.64 billion for policing – an increase of £70 million from 2024-25. Projects supporting young people at risk of being drawn into criminal activities, under the Cashback for Communities programme, will receive up to £26 million over the next three financial years.
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Sex crimes in Scotland at second highest level in 54 years - here's why
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The number of sex crimes recorded in Scotland is at its second highest level since 1971, as a sharp rise in cyber offences was revealed. Statistics show 14,892 such offences were recorded in 2024/25 - an increase of 45 per cent on a decade ago. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cases of rape and attempted rape have jumped by 60 per cent over the same timeframe, from 1,809 to 2,897 incidents. Justice Secretary Angela Constance | PA Meanwhile, domestic abuse rose by 26 per cent in the space of a year and has increased by 53 per cent since 2019/20. However, the recording of overall crime remains below the position immediately prior to the pandemic (2019/20) and down 51 per cent from its peak in 1991, according to statisticians. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scottish Labour justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill said 'Violence against women and girls is a scourge on our society, but these shocking figures suggest things are getting worse instead of better. 'The SNP must urgently investigate these appalling trends and establish what is driving the rise in these heinous crimes. 'We need to use every lever of government to tackle the epidemic of violence against women and keep our communities safe – from building a justice system that protects women to making our communities safer to delivering programmes across our education system to tackle toxic attitudes head on.' 'Sickening' attacks Conservative MSP Tess White called the rise in rapes and attempted rapes 'sickening'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Scottish Government said a number of legislative and procedural changes should be kept in mind when reviewing longer-term trends. The reporting of historic crimes will also have an impact. Information from Police Scotland suggests 25 per cent of sex crimes in 2024/25 were recorded at least one year after they occurred, with 335 crimes of rape and attempted rape and 153 crimes of sexual assault committed prior to December 2010. Police Scotland officers | PA Meanwhile, around 27 per cent of sex crimes occurred online. There has been a 28 per cent increase in the number of 'indecent photos of children' crimes recorded over the past decade. At least 34 per cent of the sex crimes recorded by police in 2024/25 related to a victim under the age of 18. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cyber crime has doubled since 2019/20, according to the new data, but damage and reckless behaviour crimes decreased to their lowest level since 1976. Cyber crime figures have risen sharply. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire There was little change in overall crimes recorded by Police Scotland, decreasing by less than 1 per cent from 299,790 to 299,111 over the past year, and little change in non-sexual violent crime, falling by less than 1 per cent, from 71,473 to 71,170. Levels of non-sexual crimes of violence have dipped slightly over the year and continue to be 23 per cent lower than in 2006/07, with serious assault and attempted murder now at their lowest level since 1977. The detection of overall crime by police has increased, with clear-up rates rising to 56 per cent. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad SNP Justice Secretary Angela Constance said the figures showed Scotland 'continues to be safe place to live with reported crime falling by more than half since 1991'.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
Sexual crimes in Scotland rise to second-highest rate in more than 50 years
New Scottish Government figures showed that sexual crimes - which include rape and sexual assault - increased by three per cent between 2023-24. Sexual crimes in Scotland have risen to the second highest rate in over 50 years. New Scottish Government figures showed that sexual crimes - which include rape and sexual assault - increased by three per cent between 2023-24. They went from 14,484 to 14,892, hitting the second highest rate since 1971 - the first year for which comparable. Crimes against society - which includes drug and weapon offences - also went up by three per cent from 61,650 to 63,398 Overall recorded crime went down by less than one per cent, from 299,790 to 299,111. Non-sexual crimes of violence also decreased by less than one per cent, from 71,473 to 71,170. Common assault made up 83 per cent of all non-sexual crimes of violence recorded. Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: 'These figures show that Scotland continues to be safe place to live with reported crime falling by more than half since 1991. This comes on the back of the flagship Scottish Crime and Justice Survey which also showed people feel safer in their communities. 'Violent crime is down significantly in the past 20 years, with serious assaults and homicide levels at record lows. However, we cannot afford to be complacent and I have been consistently clear that any instance of violence is one too many. That is why we are taking a wide range of actions to prevent, reduce and tackle violence, with more than £6 million funding invested over the past three years. 'I am concerned these figures also show a rise in reported sexual crimes. Multiple factors will lie behind this and our action to tackle sexual offending includes increasing confidence in the justice system so more victims come forward, improving support for victims and modernising the law on sexual offences. 'I also recognise the significant harm and disruption caused by retail crime, which is why we have made £3 million available in this year's Budget for Police Scotland to work with the retail sector to help tackle this issue. 'This year we will invest £4.2 billion across the justice system including a record £1.64 billion for policing – an increase of £70 million on 2024-25. 'As part of the Scottish Government's broader package to tackle violence, we have increased funding to the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit from £1.17 million last year to over £1.2 million this year. Projects supporting young people at risk of being drawn into criminal activities, under the Cashback for Communities programme, will receive up to £26 million over the next three financial years.'
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Daily Record
Crimestoppers launch campaign to tackle violence over summer holidays weeks after Kayden Moy's death
The campaign will be promoted to youths on social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram. Crimestoppers has launched a new campaign to keep kids safe over the summer holidays. The charity's youth service Fearless wants to engage with youngsters to prevent violence and warn of the dangers of off-road biking. The Scotland-wide campaign, which is backed by Network Rail Scotland, will see the Fearless team active on social media platforms including Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram, to engage with young people during the summer months. The teams will also operate a number of outreach events, including at TRNSMT in Glasgow Green on July 11-13, where kids can speak up about crime anonymously. The initiative comes after the death of 16-year-old Kayden Moy at Irvine beach last month. The youngster was laid to rest this week following the tragedy on May 17. A 14-year-old boy and two 17-year-old boys have appeared in court charged with murder. Police Scotland has also vowed to crackdown on youth violence at Edinburgh's Portobello beach after two people were attacked in the last three months. A rise in violence sparked the Record's Our Kids ... Our Future - our response to a youth violence epidemic. As part of the campaign, we have repeatedly demanded the Scottish Government to invest in young people, so they can be nurtured, mentored and guided in every community. Following Kayden Moy's death last month, Scotland's justice secretary Angela Constance pledged an additional £6m to tackle youth violence. Lyndsay McDade, Fearless Scotland Manager at Crimestoppers, said: 'We were proud to launch this year's summer campaign in Kilmarnock with the support of Network Rail Scotland and local partners. 'The summer holidays can be an exciting time, but we know they can also bring challenges. 'From understanding the dangers of off-road biking to preventing violence and promoting prosocial behaviour, we're here to support young people across Scotland to stay safe and to remind them that they can always speak up at 100% anonymously. Always.' Minister for Victims & Community Safety, Siobhian Brown, said: 'I am pleased that our partner Fearless continue to use their strength of campaigns to drive positive change to encourage young people to stay safe, as well as recognising the dangers of crime and how to get advice and support when they need it. 'Scotland remains a safe place to live and I hope the positive choices this campaign promotes resonates with all young people to enjoy a safe summer holiday.' Assistant Chief Constable Mark Sutherland, said: " Keeping our young people and communities safe throughout the year, as well as during the summer and school holidays, is a priority for Police Scotland officers."
STV News
7 days ago
- Politics
- STV News
Almost 30,000 community service orders breached in 11 years, figures show
Almost 30,000 breaches of community sentences have been recorded over 11 years, data obtained by the Scottish Conservatives shows. Of those who breached community payback orders (CPOs), 8,078 resulted in the offender being handed another community sentence while 7,956 led to a custodial sentence being imposed. The Tories said the freedom of information data showed 'the SNP's soft-touch justice system in action'. Figures showed 29,544 breaches of CPOs between 2012-13 and 2023-24. Justice Secretary Angela Constance has recently spoken of the need to 'shift the balance from custody to justice in the community' as part of measures to deal with prison overcrowding. Earlier this year, Constance announced there would be an independent review into sentencing and penal policy in Scotland. The Conservatives have called for more stringent sanctions for offenders who violate CPOs. Sharon Dowey MSP said: 'These shocking figures are yet more evidence of the SNP's soft-touch justice system in action. 'Given the increased use of community payback orders, the very least the public expect is for offenders to carry out the sentence imposed on them. 'Where there has been a breach, offenders should be properly punished rather than let off the hook. It defies belief that so many are simply having another CPO issued.' She added: 'It sends a clear message to criminals that there are no consequences for failing to pay their dues, which makes a mockery of the justice system. 'These figures are yet another example of John Swinney's Government pandering to criminals and betraying victims.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Community payback orders are a flexible and robust disposal, with a consistently lower reconviction rate compared to short prison sentences. 'That's why the budget for 2025-26 includes an additional £11m in support for community justice services and ongoing work to further enable a shift away from the use of custody. 'Where a CPO has been breached, it is up to the independent courts to decide the most appropriate outcome based on all of the circumstances of the case. 'Ultimately, this may include the imposition of a custodial sentence'. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
