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| Sexual offences recorded by police 'up 20%' | Sexual offences recorded by police 'up 20%' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Sexual offences recorded by police in England and Wales increased by 20% in the year to March, newly released figures show. | Sexual offences recorded by police in England and Wales increased by 20% in the year to March, newly released figures show. |
| They point to no change in the level of overall crime between April 2013 and March 2014. | They point to no change in the level of overall crime between April 2013 and March 2014. |
| It is the first time recorded crime has remained static since 2002/3. | |
| The separate Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSWE) indicated offending levels dropped by 14% in the same period. | The separate Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSWE) indicated offending levels dropped by 14% in the same period. |
| The CSEW report, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), estimates crime levels based on how many people say they have been the victim. | The CSEW report, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), estimates crime levels based on how many people say they have been the victim. |
| Separate statistics, also published by the ONS, are collated by police. | Separate statistics, also published by the ONS, are collated by police. |
| Sexual crimes | |
| The police figures indicate that rape had risen by 27%, hitting its highest level since 2002/3. | |
| Other types of sex crime were up by 17% in the covered period. | |
| Mark Bangs, from the ONS, said: "Part of the rise in sexual offences is related to the effect of the Operation Yewtree investigation which has brought to light a large number of historic sexual offences. | |
| "The increase is also likely to reflect a broader Yewtree effect whereby more victims are coming forward to report sexual offences to the police." | |
| ONS figures also show that the number of police officers fell to its lowest number for 12 years. | ONS figures also show that the number of police officers fell to its lowest number for 12 years. |
| There were 127,909 officers in 43 police forces, down 1,674 compared with a year earlier. | There were 127,909 officers in 43 police forces, down 1,674 compared with a year earlier. |
| That is the fifth consecutive annual fall. | That is the fifth consecutive annual fall. |
| The number of police civilian staff and community support officers also fell. | The number of police civilian staff and community support officers also fell. |
| Home Office minister Norman Baker said he was encouraged by the figures. | Home Office minister Norman Baker said he was encouraged by the figures. |
| He told BBC News: "People are showing more confidence in the police and reporting more crimes that they hereto to weren't reporting." | |
| He also suggested there were less demands on police as a result of the fall in crime. | |
| He said: "Crime goes down year on year so in that sense there is less for the police to do. | |
| "If crime is going down year on year… clearly that has an impact on the number of police officers you need on the street." | |
| He added: "Crime is down and police are able to deal with the cases coming forward". |