Police statistics reveal mixed picture of crime across Teesdale

VIOLENT crimes and sexual assaults are up on last year in Teesdale but anti-social behaviour is down, according to the latest statistics.

Comparing the first four months of this year to those in 2016 reveals a 45 per cent increase in crimes listed as violent and sexual offences in Teesdale – from 89 between January and April 2016 to 129 in the same period this year.

However, anti-social behaviour has dropped 22 per cent from 132 cases to 103 when the same formula is applied.

The area covered by the study includes Evenwood, Ramshaw, Toft Hill, Etherley and Hamsterley which are overseen by Bishop Auckland police. The rest of the dale survey is covered by Barnard Castle police teams.

Public order offences in the dale have increased from 11 in the first third of 2016 to 28 in the first four months of this year.

Hot spots for 2017 up to April include Shirley Close in Evenwood with 16 crimes, nearby Manor Street with 27 and Jubilee Terrace in Mickleton which recorded 15 – all of those stemming from a string of burglaries one night in February.

Urban areas of the dale with higher population densities – Evenwood, Barnard Castle and Cockfield – have the highest recorded instances of crime.

But the number of overall crimes recorded in the dale remains similar for the period.

Copley, Hutton Magna, Baldersdale and Hamsterley Forest saw no recorded crimes between January and April this year.

Meanwhile, anti-social behaviour accounted for 30.2 per cent of crime in Barnard Castle’s police area from May 2016 to April 2017.

It was also revealed that no further action was taken in 65 per cent of those crimes with 15 per cent dealt with by police through cautions, warnings or “local resolutions”.

On the Evenwood, Hamsterley and Etherley beat, no further action was taken in 74 per cent of the crimes recorded from May 2016 to April this year.

Four per cent of these crimes led to an offender being dealt with at court.

A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: “The crime recording category ‘violent crime’ refers to 28 different crime types, which include those that do not result in a physical injury to the victim, such as harassment.

“There is a national drive from the HMIC (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies) towards the integrity of police force’s crime recording data.

“In 2015/16 Durham Constabulary reviewed a number of previous recorded crimes and reclassified a substantial amount.

“This accounts for a large proportion of the reported rise in ‘violent crime’.”

He added: “We believe the drop in the number of incidents of anti-social behaviour can be attributed to some of these being reclassified as a crime.

“The rise in reported sexual offences can be attributed to victims having greater confidence to come forward and report to police and there is also a large number of historic cases coming to light.

“Ensuring each crime is recorded accurately and gaining a satisfactory outcome for the victim is at the heart of everything we do.

“We will continue to deliver an outstanding service to victims and will ensure we record crimes in line with national legislation”

The next police update at Barnard Castle Town Council is due in September.

More information and statistics are available to view at www.police.uk.

To report a crime phone police on the non emergency 101 number.