Crime rises by almost 30% in Liverpool, official figures show

File photo dated 22/10/14 of a Police officer, as according to new figures, some of the UK's biggest police forces have recorded a rise in the number of violent homophobic crimes this year, with hundreds of assaults on gay and lesbian people reported to police so far in 2014 - including more than 300 in London alone. Scotland Yard recorded 1,073 violent homophobic offences between January and October, up from 1,007 in 2013 and 1,002 in 2012.

The crime rate over the last year was far higher than the average across England and Wales.

Crime has risen over the last year in Liverpool, official police records reveal.

Merseyside Police recorded 71,862 offences in Liverpool in the 12 months to March, according to the Office for National Statistics.

That was an increase of 29% compared to the previous year, when there were 55,666.

And, at 143.6 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far higher than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 89.3.

Of the crimes recorded in the area over the last 12 months, 1,966 were sexual offences – an increase of 41% from the year before.

Meanwhile, violent crime has soared in the area, from 20,323 to 28,110 over this period.

One of the main factors behind this increase was the rise in violence without injury, which rose by 41%, from 8,716 incidents to 12,268.

And theft offences rose by 27%, with 16,223 incidents recorded in the 12 months to March.

At 32.4 crimes per 1,000 people, that was higher than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 25.1.

Crimes recorded in Liverpool included:

1,966 sexual offences, a rise of 41%28,110 violent offences, a rise of 38%6,374 incidents of criminal damage and arson, up 21%5,926 drug offences, down 17%590 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, down 2%10,530 public order offences, up 66%16,223 theft offences, a rise of 27%8,593 stalking and harassment offences, up 36%