Violent attacks on the Island fell during the Covid pandemic with nearly 300 fewer injuries than last year.
The downward trend continues on the Isle of Wight due to positive policing work, and work at the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU).
Figures revealed from the Island’s Community Safety Partnership (CSP) show there had been an 18 per cent decrease in violence with injury incidents —with 284 fewer reports than in the previous year.
Fewer incidents than year before
Between 1st April 2020 and 31st March 2021, 1,300 incidents were recorded compared to 1,584 in 2019/20.
The CSP say the effects of the Covid pandemic had been noticeable as the recorded decrease was double that of the previous reduction between 2018/19 and 2019/20.
Violence without injury had seen a smaller reduction of eight per cent, with 124 fewer reported crimes.
What is a VRU?
VRUs have been established as part of a Home Office initiative, over the last couple of years, to tackle the root causes of violence through early interventions with under 25s.
On the Island, the interventions have helped and targeted more than 140 young people including helping their mental health and increasing employment opportunities.
The police had also been successful in work tackling violent offenders, with multiple prosecutions over the assessment period.
Examples of IW cases
Three people who seriously assaulted a man and committed a burglary in Ryde were jailed for more than 33 years.
Timothy Brown, Graham Smith and Louise Spence stole £1,500 in cash from the address and a man in his 40s sustained injuries to his face, back and arm, caused by a knife.
It also included the sentence increase for violent burglar Darren Rose, to nine years, after causing grievous bodily harm with intent and aggravated burglary, hitting his victims over the head with wine bottles.
Upward trend in stalking and harassment cases
Another area that falls under the violence header is reported incidents of stalking and harassment which, unlike the other areas, has seen an upward trend with an increase of 280 incidents compared to the previous year.
The CSP say this is partially due to a change in the way the Home Office records the offences of harassment, malicious communications and stalking and an increase in counter-allegations.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is part of. Read here to find about more about how that scheme works on the Island. Some alterations and additions may have been made by News OnTheWight. Ed
Image: westmidlandspolice under CC BY 2.0
