NEW FIGURES SHOW that Ireland saw a rise in major crimes like sexual offences, assaults on Gardaí and vehicle theft last year when compared to pre-pandemic levels.
An Garda Síochána’s provisional crime figures for 2022 showed a rise in most major crimes during 2022 – but the force cautioned that comparisons between 2022 and 2021 “should continue to be considered in the context of Covid-19”.
Ireland was under Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions until May of 2021, with people restricted in where they could travel and many businesses remaining closed for much of the first half of the year.
Gardaí said a “longer trend comparison” with 2019 was advised, pre-pandemic figures given the “significant effect on crime” that public health measures had.
Garda reports show that sexual offences have been increasing since early 2015 but were thought to have plateaued in 2020.
However, this upward trend had resumed in 2021.
There was an 8% increase in sexual offences last year when compared with 2019, and a 4% increased when compared with 2021.
However, there was a 13% increased in reported rape last year when compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, and a 2% increase on 2021 figures.
There was also an increase in child sexual abuse material, rising 6% on 2019 levels and 3% when compared to 2021.
A Garda spokesperson said these increases “may relate to a change in reporting behaviour whereby victims are increasingly likely to report sexual crime”.
The spokesperson added: “Ongoing efforts by An Garda Síochána regarding improvement of data quality and recording may be a contributing factor to the upward trend in recorded incidents Sexual Offences in recent years.
“It therefore cannot be concluded that the increase in Sexual Offences (in recent years) is solely due to an increased level of incidents occurring.”
Figures show there was also an increase in crimes against the person, such as murder, human trafficking, harassment and staking, and assaults on gardaí.
There were 38 murder or manslaughter offences in 2019, which dropped considerably to 25 during 2021.
However, murder and manslaughter offences rose to 44 last year, an increase of 16% on 2019 and 76% on 2021 figures.
Human trafficking offences meanwhile were up a huge 110% on pre-pandemic levels, and up 31% on 2021.
However, a garda spokesperson said these figures were “based on low volumes, so percentage change is liable to large variation”.
While there was only a 2% increase on the assault or obstruction of gardaí last year when compared with the year previous, this figure jumped by 27% in comparison to 2019 levels.
Residential burglaries (up 7%), vehicle theft (up 52%), robbery from a person (up 24%) and blackmail/extortion from a person (up 35%) all saw increases compared to 2021.
However, most of these crimes had fallen when compared to figures from 2019.
Residential burglaries (down 45%), vehicle thefts (down 36%), and robbery from a person (down 30%) all fell compared to pre-pandemic levels.
On the general fall in burglaries, a Garda spokesperson said that this is a new trend and contrary to international trends, which sees residential burglaries spike during longer dark evenings of winter/spring months.
“An Garda Síochána implements a Winter phase of Operation Thor between October and March, inclusive, to target this seasonal peak,” a spokesperson added.
In contrast, fraud offences (up 90%) and blackmail/extortion (up 258%) have seen major increases compared to 2019.
“A significant portion of this increase is related to thefts of second hand imported vehicles and the theft of electric scooters,” a spokesperson said.
Although most public order offences were up compared to 2021, figures were down compared to 2019.
Public order offences were up 10% on 2021 but down 5% on 2019; drunkenness offences were up 19% on 2021 but remained the same as in 2019; and criminal damage was up 11% on 2021 but down 2% on 2019.
Drugs offences (down 14%) and offensive weapons offences (down 2%) also dropped overall compared with 2021.
Possession of drugs for personal use was down compared to 2021 (by 14%) and on 2019 (by 23%), as was possession of drugs for sale and supply for both 2021 (by 14%) and on 2019 (by 9%).
Offensive weapons Offences (-2%) were down overall during 2022.
With reporting from Stephen McDermott.
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