New domestic abuse laws behind rise in violent crime across Edinburgh

A SURGE in violent crime across the Capital is down to new domestic abuse laws, says Edinburgh’s top cop.

Newly published Police Scotland figures reveal reports of non sexual violence up more than a quarter (28 percent) between April and December compared to the previous year.

There were 167 cases of coercive and controlling behaviour since the new legislation was adopted in April last year.

“It’s a tool for us to support victims,” said chief superintendent Sean Scott. “These alarming cases were very difficult to prove with evidence but now we have the tool to prove it.”

Of the 167 offences reported under the new laws in Edinburgh, 156 were against women and 11 against men.

Reports of communicating indecently were up 40 percent - from 77 to 108 - driven by sexting, typically involving teenagers.

Criminals carrying knives were up neatly a third (30 percent) from 105 to 137 cases in the nine months from April to December year-on-year.

“We have seen, along with every other place in the country, a rise in knives used in criminality - at the moment we don’t really understand what the underlying cause is,” said CS Scott.

He pointed to a drop in thugs carrying other offensive weapons and targeted stop and search powers to tackle the problem.

Drug dealing was up more than a quarter (26 percent) from 316 cases in April to December 2018 to 399 reports in the same period last year.

CS Scott praised officers for launching dedicated operations against dealers - launching raids while acting on tip-offs from the public.

Serious assaults were down more than a fifth (21 percent) from 321 to 254 - with a crackdown on booze-related violence credited.

“A pleasing aspect in the reduction in serious assaults with 67 fewer victims,” said CS Scott. “We’ve seen more of our work in the city centre with Operation Nightguard.”

The reserve force set-up to deal with any unrest in the event of a No-Deal Brexit was deployed to help police late-night drinking over Christmas and Hogmanay, he added.

Rapes were down nearly a fifth (18 percent) from 158 to 129 with CS Scott attributing the drop to preventative work.

“Women and men understand now personal security,” he said. “How to keep themselves safe.

“Stranger rape is very unusual but we need to make sure people know not to put themselves in danger.

“It’s also about making sure those looking to perpetrate know what the consequences are.”

CS Scott also addressed the loss of £1.6 million of funding from Edinburgh City Council for 34 ward police officers.

“It didn’t surprise me,” he said. “At the end of the day, the council had to make cuts.”

He assured communities will still see officers on the streets and vowed to address any criminal trends as they arise.

“I’ll have to change my model because we don’t have that anymore,” said CS Scott.

“We’ll still be working in the community and we’ll still be working with partners,” he added.

Information on how to deter criminals is available at www.scotland.police.uk.