Gun crime on the rise

Gun crime rose by 4 per cent last year, according to official figures recorded by police forces in England and Wales.

There were 10,182 firearms offences in the year to September compared with 9,755 in the previous 12 months.

Separate statistics showed the number of recorded drug offences jumped 21 per cent in the third quarter of last year.

The wider picture showed that overall recorded crime fell by 9 per cent to 1.24 million offences from July to September, compared with the same period the previous year.

The British Crime Survey (BCS) - a separate set of figures based on interviews with members of the public - said crime had remained stable.

Recorded crime figures showed the number of drug crimes was 55,700, up 9,500 on the same period in 2006.

Violence against the person fell by 8 per cent and robbery by 17 per cent, the figures reported.

The firearms figures showed there were six fewer gun-related deaths in the year - 49 compared with 55 - and serious injuries were down 16 per cent to 368.

But a 4 per cent rise in slight injuries to 2,728 and 6 per cent increases in both threats and non-injury incidents led to a 4 per cent rise overall.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "These latest crime figures contain some excellent results and I am particularly pleased that the risk of being a victim of crime is now at a historically low level.

"Recorded crime is down and crime measured by the BCS is stable.

"Police recorded violence against the person, robbery and burglary have fallen considerably compared with the same period a year ago.

"Enforcement is key part of our approach to tackling drug harm and I welcome further evidence that police are maintaining a tight grip on drugs offending.

"In 2008 we will tighten our grip on violence and anti-social behaviour, working with police and local partners.

"From April there will be a neighbourhood policing team in every community and from July every member of the public will be able to access crime information about their local area.

"I look forward to seeing positive results beginning to flow from these and other initiatives including the new Drug Strategy and the Tackling Violent Crime Action Plan."

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