Crime on the rise in Mid Sussex, 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.

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

Sussex Police recorded 6,400 offences in Mid Sussex in the 12 months to March, according to the Office for National Statistics.

That was an increase of 2% compared to the previous year, when there were 6,259.

However, at 42.1 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far lower than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 89.3.

Of the crimes recorded in the area over the last 12 months, 298 were sexual offences – an increase of 53% from the year before.

Meanwhile, violent crime has fallen in the area, from 2,535 to 2,423 over this period.

Theft offences rose by 17%, with 1,777 incidents recorded in the 12 months to March.

At 11.7 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far lower than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 25.1.

Crimes recorded in Mid Sussex included:

298 sexual offences, a rise of 53%2,423 violent offences, a decrease of 4%727 incidents of criminal damage and arson, up 1%173 drug offences, down 45%60 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, a decrease of 31747 public order offences, up 11%1,777 theft offences, a rise of 17%745 stalking and harassment offences, up 2%