LevellerLive

Figures published by the Home Office for crimes in the Avon & Somerset Police area make for grim reading. Of all crimes recorded in the Avon & Somerset area just 6.04% resulted in a charge being made.

Drilling down into specific crimes, only 3.11% of reported sexual crimes resulted in a charge. For crimes involving “violence against the person “the figures are better, but nothing much to celebrate. 6.29% of recorded crimes resulted in a conviction.

Responding to the figures, Somerset Labour’s Cllr Leigh Redman said: “People in Avon & Somerset police area want to feel safe – but these figures show that after 13 years of Conservative rule the vast majority of crimes are going unpunished, including some of the most serious crimes there are. Families in Avon & Somerset police area deserve better. That’s why Labour will make keeping our streets safe a central mission for the next government. To do that, we’ll put victims first, and we’ll restore neighbourhood policing with 13,000 new neighbourhood police and PCSOs – fully funded through a police efficiency programme – with mandatory guaranteeing patrols of town centres by dedicated officers.”