Figures by the Met show other sexual offences are also up in the borough

Overall crime has gone down in Brent in the last year but the number of rapes in the borough has shot up by more than a fifth, according to figures released today.

Statistics from the Metropolitan Police Service shows that in the last 12 months to March this year, the borough witnessed a 13.9 per cent drop in crime with 27,221 reported cases compared to 31,634 the year before.

However four types of crime went up in the borough; the number of rapes increased from 101 to 123, other sexual offences rose from 246 to 258, anti-Semitic crime tent from three to five and one more racist and religious hate crime was reported this year.

Crimes which saw a decrease include killings, gun-related offences and robberies.

Cllr Lincoln Beswick MBE, Brent Council’s lead member for crime and community safety, said: “Rape is a heinous crime and anyone who commits it needs to know they will be caught, prosecuted and sent to jail as it will not be tolerated in Brent.”

He added: “It has been a challenge to get crime down in the borough and I would like to thank the community who came on board with the police.”

Click on image to see all the figures.