Lewisham is the city’s most dangerous borough according to the first-ever UK Peace Index

Brent is the ninth most violent borough in London according to a pioneering study which used data from the last decade.

The borough is also rated the 334th most violent local authority in the country by the first-ever UK Peace Index which was compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).

The Index drew up the statistics by looking at levels of violence and peace across the country as well as the total cost of violence to the UK economy.

Richmond-upon-Thames in south west London was deemed the most peaceful borough in London and Lewisham in south London the most violent.

Glasgow was rated the most violent local authority in the UK.

According to the Index, the UK is 11 per cent less violent than a decade ago but the lack of peace has an economic impact of £124 billion.

Steve Killelea, founder and executive chairman of IEP, said: “While the increased level of peace cannot be narrowed down to any single factor, the findings of the Index show that poverty and economic opportunity are significantly associated with peace as supported by other international studies.

“This suggests greater emphasis needs to be placed on programmes that tackle poverty and related issues such as access to education and economic opportunity.”

Statistic released by the Metropolitan Police Service this week showed that crime in Brent had dropped by 13.9 per cent in the last 12 months leading up to March this year.

In 2003, Brent was dubbed the gun crime capital of the country due to the high numbers of fatal shootings in the borough.

However since then gun and violent crime in Brent has decreased.

Cllr Lincoln Beswick, Brent Council’s lead member for crime and community safety said the Index was very unhelpful to the community.

He said: “Anyone who has lived in the borough for the last decade will have seen that Brent has changed for the better.

“We have made great strides in the last 10 years and statistics like this are unhelpful and detrimental to the community.

“Yes Brent had a reputation of being violent but its is a much safer place now.”