LAST UPDATE | 24 Jun 2019

THERE HAS BEEN a significant increase in the reporting of sex offences to gardaí since 2015, according to new statistics reported by CSO. 

While there has been an 10% increase in recorded sexual offences in the 12 months up to March of this year. This continues a trend seen since the first quarter of 2015, where reported incidents have risen 54.9% from 2,086 in the first quarter of 2015 to 3,231 at the end first quarter of 2019.

There has also been a significant rise in the number of recorded incidents of fraud, deception and related offences, up by 28.5% over the 12-month period from 5,322 to 6,841 recorded crimes.

Controlled drug offences also saw a sharp rise in figures, up 16.2% over the 12-month period, from 16,564 to 19,247.

“While there remains a grave concern at the year on year increase in incidents of rape and sexual assault being reported to An Garda Síochána, I welcome the fact that more and more victims are coming forward to An Garda Síochána and I urge victims to continue to do so,” Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan said. 

Flanagan said that following extensive submissions and consultations, work is continuing on a review he initiated examining the “reform of the investigation and prosecution of sexual violence to ensure that complainants are protected to the greatest extent possible”.

“I would continue to encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault to come forward and report the incident to An Garda Síochána,” he said.

CSO CSO

Decreases

In the 12-month period ending in March 2019, there were 72 homicide offences, down 14.3% from a recorded 84 offences in the previous 12-month period. 

“I welcome this reduction which is an encouraging development,” Flanagan said. 

“Every murder is a most horrific crime and I want to pay tribute to the courage of frontline gardaí who continue to put themselves in harm’s way to protect the general public from the actions of those who seek to commit the most serious crime of all.”

However, the figures also show there was an annual increase of 1,276 (+6.6%) records of attempts or threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences, compared to the same period in 2018.

Meanwhile, the number of recorded crimes of burglary and related offences fell by 10.3% compared with the previous 12 months, to 16,766 incidents in the year to March 2019. 

The number of damage to property and the environment offences decreased by 5.8%.

The full list of statistics can be read here.