Violent crime increases in Portsmouth, Gosport, Fareham as city sees three-year homicide peak

VIOLENT crime across the area has increased, latest figures show.
By Ben Fishwick
Published 27th Apr 2020, 14:36 BST
Updated 28th Apr 2020, 12:18 BST
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Data from the Office for National Statistics shows an overall drop in crime in Portsmouth, Havant, Gosport and Fareham.

But violent crime rose in the 12 months to December 2019 in all of those areas compared to the previous year – except in Havant where it decreased.

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Deaths in Portsmouth classed as homicide - murder or manslaughter - have reached a three-year high - with three deaths in 2019.

Police presence on Eastney beach on April 15 2020. Picture: Habibur RahmanPolice presence on Eastney beach on April 15 2020. Picture: Habibur Rahman
Police presence on Eastney beach on April 15 2020. Picture: Habibur Rahman

The previous peak was in 2016 with four deaths.

East Hampshire saw an increase in overall crime, and an increase in violent crime.

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In Portsmouth there were 25,449 crimes recorded, down by six per cent on 2018. In Hampshire there were 162,355 crimes.

Joe Traynor, from the ONS Centre for Crime and Justice, said: ‘Information collected prior to the coronavirus pandemic from the Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates a fall of 5 per cent in crime for 2019.

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‘It is not possible to say whether this would have come to represent a change from the flat trend in recent years, as it is likely that the current lockdown will have an impact on the level of crime in 2020.

‘The 2019 data revealed different patterns for specific types of crime, for instance, robbery increased but burglary decreased, while fraud and lower-harm violent offences remained stable.’

Theft, all types of burglary and criminal damage all reduced in 2019 in Portsmouth, Havant, Gosport and Fareham.

Shoplifting increased in Gosport and Havant.

Crimes in 2019 (2018 figures in brackets)

Homicides

Portsmouth: 3 (0)

Havant: 0 (0)

Gosport: 1 (1)

Fareham: 0 (1)

Sex offences

Portsmouth: 752 (850)

Havant: 408 (389)

Gosport: 232 (243)

Fareham: 233 (258)

Robbery

Portsmouth: 265 (217)

Havant: 59 (61)

Gosport: 50 (49)

Fareham: 47 (39)

Violent crime

Portsmouth: 9,879 (9,593)

Havant: 4,081 (4,297)

Gosport: 2,675 (2,516)

Fareham: 2,317 (2,157)

Stalking and harassment

Portsmouth: 2,042 (1,476)

Havant: 1,082 (782)

Gosport: 708 (474)

Fareham: 590 (424)

Weapon possession

Portsmouth: 313 (279)

Havant: 123 (88)

Gosport: 71 (68)

Fareham: 64 (60)

Drug offences

Portsmouth: 921 (782)

Havant: 200 (181)

Gosport: 138 (140)

Fareham: 146 (135)