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Homophobic Crime Down By 17.1 in London

Homophobic crime in London has dropped over the last year, according to new figures from the Metropolitan Police.

Between April 2006 and March 2007, figures for homophobic crime totalled 1,184 over the year, while between 2007 and 2008, total crimes were 981, a drop of 17.1%.

Rape was down by 16.7%, from 2,304 in 2006/7 to 1,919 in 2007/8, and violent crimes has fallen by nearly 8% from 237,431 to 218, 509.

The number of overall offences recorded by the Met in 2007/8 year fell to 862,032, the first time it was below 900,000 in 10 years.

This gives an overall drop in crime over 6% last 12 months, say Scotland Yard.

Most of the other categories of crime were also down, apart from gun crime involving gangs, the focus of Operation Trident, which rose by 8.8%.

The biggest drop in crime was in robberies, which went down by 19% to 37,000 offences, the lowest figure since 1999/2000.

There were 160 homicides this year, compared to 168 in 2006/2007, despite the fact that 27 teenagers were killed in the capital in 2007, and 11 have been killed so far in 2008.

Motor vehicle crime declined by over 8% and theft of motor vehicles was down 6.7%.

However, former Met Police deputy chief commissioner Brian Paddick, and Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor, called the statistics "unreliable."

"Officers are coming under pressure not to report crime. Something as serious as a shooting is going to be recorded but as far as other crime is concerned, fewer and fewer people are bothering to report crime to the police," he said.

His Conservative rival Boris Johnson says the statistics clearly show that crime is central to the forthcoming elections.

“Wherever I go throughout London, crime remains the main issue of concern to voters, "he said.

"The statistics are clear: last year, every day in London, there were 597 violent crimes, over 5 rapes, 101 robberies and at least 9 gun crimes. 27 teenagers died on London’s streets last year and eleven have already been killed this year."

Johnson says if elected he will put an extra 1500 police on the streets, crack down on thuggish behaviour on public transport, bans consumption of alcohol on the Tube , as well as financially assisting groups which help young people stay out of gangs.

Current Mayor Ken Livingstone, who last night paid a visit to Profile bar during his walkabout gay venues in Soho, believes Mr Johnson's voting record shows he cannot be trusted to deal with issues of crime.

Ken intends to double youth provision in London, including proposals to spend £78 million on a programme to set up youth centres and improve youth services throughout the capital to stop young people becoming involved in crime.

Livingstone has previously pledged an 6% annual cut in crime figures.

"This pledge can be made entirely realistically on the basis of the policies which have already resulted in crime in London falling for five years in a row," he said last month.

Author: Joanne Oatts

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