THE number of sexual offences in Limerick has risen by almost 80 per cent in the last five years, giving the city the highest rate of sexual offences in the country, according to an Irish Examiner special report on crime figures.
A total of 153 sexual offences were recorded in Limerick City and County in 2012, up 18 per cent on 2011 figures and twice the national average for such offences.
Overall, Limerick had the second highest crime rate in the country with 674.99 offences reported per 10,000 population, behind Dublin on 788.51.
In total 5.31 per cent of all crimes committed in Ireland in 2012 occurred in Limerick.
However, Limerick does boast the highest number of gardaí in terms of population with 31.54 gardaí per 10,000 population, compared to Kildare which had the lowest at 15.12.
On the plus side, crime levels in the city and county fell by nine per cent in 2012, with decreases in all offences with the exception of rape and sexual assault.
There was also a marked drop in the number of murders; just two homicides were recorded in Limerick in 2012, compared with its annual average of seven over the last four years, and a peak level of ten in 2010.
Over the last five years, a number of offences have recorded decreases such as criminal damage with 2,088 incidents (down 29 per cent), white collar crime (down 27 per cent), robberies with 100 incidents (down 37 per cent) and burglaries with 1,215 incidents (down 15 per cent).
Despite the drop in the number of cases of criminal damage to property, the report found that Limerick still had “the worst record of any county” for the offence.
The number of road traffic offences in Limerick was the second highest in Ireland – almost double the national average.
The city and county fared badly in relation to theft levels, which were the second highest in Ireland at 211.36 offences per 10,000 population.
Limerick also recorded the fourth highest number of controlled drug offences in Ireland, at 45.72 per 10,000 population.
Meanwhile, neighbouring County Clare enjoys one of the lowest crime rates anywhere in Ireland and has witnessed a drop in crime levels of almost one third since 2008.
The county recorded one of the lowest rates for burglaries, theft, fraud, assault and criminal damage to property, but had the highest rate of road traffic offences which were up 22 per cent from 2008 to 2011.
County Kerry’s crime rates were low in general, however it had the highest number of public order offences.
In Tipperary, crime rates were below the national average, however the county had an unusually high number of kidnappings with nine recorded in 2012, compared with the national average of three per county.
