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Mike Weatherley, Nicholas Boles and David Logan –

Sexual Offences up 36 per cent across Brighton and Hove

New Government crime statistics expose rising violent crime

Mike Weatherley, Nicholas Boles and David Logan, the three Conservative Parliamentary Candidates for Brighton and Hove, have pointed to new crime figures published by the Government as evidence that Labour have failed to be ‘tough on crime’. Remember Tony Blair saying he would be “Tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime?”  Tell that to the million victims of crime since Labour came to office.  The figures released by the Home Office on 20 July show that in the last year, sexual offences rose by 36 per cent in Brighton and Hove. Nicholas Boles the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Hove and Portslade said:

“No amount of statistical manipulation can conceal what everyone in Brighton and Hove already knows: the number of sexual offences being committed in the city are soaring. The rise in sexual offences is extremely worrying, and shows yet again that the Government is not making enough headway in tackling crime and disorder.  People think Hove is a quiet tranquil seaside resort.  And by and large it is.  But when the pubs and clubs turn out, Hove does unfortunately have problems.  People from Hove do join friends in the varied night-spots in Brighton, and Hove is no longer a haven where people retire.  It is much more diverse now, and with that has come quite a culture change.”

David Logan newly selected Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Brighton Kemptown said:

“These figures will come as no surprise to the millions of people up and down the country who suffer daily from crime, much drug related, and in our town centres increasingly alcohol-fuelled.  I am well aware that there is a major problem particularly on the Whitehawk and Moulsecoomb estates.  It has been said that the problem is down to poverty.  But I don’t believe that.  When someone commits a crime they have made a conscious decision to do so.  I look forward to working with the Police, and people in the local community, to try and make this fantastic city of ours a safe place to live and work.” 

Mike Weatherley, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Brighton Pavilion adds:

“Whilst I support the hard work of Sussex Police, the problem is that the Government’s plethora of initiatives and vast bureaucracy are preventing the police from doing their job.

“I live in the centre of Brighton, and every night there I see the yob culture on most street corners.  Fights, smashed shop windows, joy riders causing havoc on the roads.  A lot of the trouble is alcohol related.  I am not saying that people shouldn’t drink, but something has to be done to curb this ever-growing dark shadow on our society.  The Labour Government has simply buried their head in the sand.  If the police had the resources they need, and Judges had the powers to pass sentences to fit the crime – yes lock up the louts if necessary - then there is just a chance the conveyor belt of crime will begin to grind ever more slowly.”

All three Conservative Parliamentary Candidates are hoping to join local Police officers on the beat to see for themselves what it is really like in the front line.

Conservatives have a series of practical proposals to address Brighton and Hove’s crime crisis:

·          An extra 40,000 police officers across England & Wales, with 906 allocated to Sussex Police area.

·          18,000 new hard drug rehabilitation places to give young hard drug-users a clear choice: intensive, residential rehabilitation or face the penal system.

·          Directly elected police boards, with the Home Office’s current powers over local policing transferred to local people, accountable via the ballot box.

·          Resist Liberal Democrat plans to let burglars escape jail, abolish mandatory life sentences for serial rapists and weaken the laws further on hard drugs.”

Notes: 

The Government published new crime statistics on 22 July 2004:

Home Office, Crime in England and Wales 2003/2004: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimeew0304.html

 ‘Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships - Recorded Crime for Key Offences 2002/03 to 2003/04’, break down the change in the 6 key times of crime by local authority area. Figures on the absolute number of offences are listed in the Excel chart. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/cdrptabs.xls

And a further Press Release 30th July:

Mike Weatherley : Lets work together to make Brighton and Hove a safer place

Worrying analysis of latest crime detection rates figures

 “7 out of 8 burglars are escaping justice. The detection rate for burglary is just 12% across Brighton and Hove in the last year” said Mike Weatherley, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Brighton Pavilion having analysed recently published Home Office crime statistics.

Mike continued, “We already knew that many types of violent crime are rising. But is not all bad news.  I congratulate the police on the improving figures for muggings and car break-ins.  However, burglary is psychological violence of the worse kind.  Victims are left with a horrible feeling that their personal life has been violated.  But worryingly, we can now see that fewer criminals are being punished for those crimes.  Burglars are getting away scot-free with their actions, and their victims are not seeing proper justice.

“As well as burglary being on the increase, sexual offences rose by 36 per cent in Brighton and Hove.  This trend cannot continue and it the failure of the Labour Government to get a grip on the situation by acknowledging that policing cannot be controlled from the centre. 

“Our police officers in Sussex are working hard, but are being dragged down by Whitehall bureaucracy that prevents them from patrolling the streets and catching criminals. This is why Conservatives want to see a greater emphasis on neighbourhood policing, a greater say for local people on how police forces are run, and backed up by more money for an extra 906 police officers across Sussex. 

“I have written to Chief Inspector Lance Grey and Chief Inspector Lisa Pearcey, commanding officers in Brighton, asking for the opportunity to meet them and their officers to find out first hand what it is like in the front line.  I want to go out on the beat and witness what our boys in blue experience every weekend in Brighton.  There has been a recent spate of extremely violent crime in the city that included assault on PC Paul Grzegorzek who was hit with a full bottle of lager, which smashed and left glass fragments in his face.  I wish PC Grzegorzek a speedy recovery from his injuries.  Without a doubt, the police are severely stretched.  I hope they will give me the opportunity to listen to them and for us to work together to make this city a safer place.”

Notes to Editors

The Government published new crime statistics on 22 July 2004:

Home Office, Crime in England and Wales 2003/2004: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimeew0304.html

The statistics published includes crime detection rates by ‘basic command unit’ areas. ‘Detected crimes’ are those ‘solved’ by the police: where an offence has been committed and recorded, a suspect been identified and there is sufficient evidence to charge the suspect. A low detection rate means cases are not be solved and more criminals are escaping justice.

Basic Command Unit - Detection Recorded for Key Offences 2002/03 to 2003/04 – Excel chart

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/bcu2.xls

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