TARGETING sexual crimes is a priority for police in Ayrshire, according to the regional force’s chief – after new figures revealed a 12.5 per cent increase in the number of offences recorded.

Police Scotland’s quarterly statistics, published last week, showed a worrying rise in the number of rape and attempted rape crimes across the Ayrshire division – up by 42 per cent year-on-year.

The number of indecent or sexual assaults has also risen, from 275 during the final few months of 2020/21, to 319 over the same period in 2021/22.

Domestic abuse incidents totalled 4,394 in the most recent quarter, down from 4,456 in the previous year, with less than half (45.3 per cent) of those incidents being recorded as crime reports.

The total number of sexual crimes in the county has shot up from 732 to 824, prompting a pledge from the divisional commander of Ayrshire Police to target the issue.

Chief Superintendent Faroque Hussain said: “Targeting sexual crime is a priority for us and, like the national picture which has recorded an overall increase, Ayrshire has recorded 37 more incidents of rape.

"This shows a rise in public confidence in people coming forward to report and I would encourage our communities to continue engaging with us to help shape local policing.”

In East Ayrshire specifically, the number of rape and attempted rape crimes has risen from 37 to 46, while indecent or sexual assaults have jumped from 108 to 115.

Meanwhile, housebreakings are down 12 per cent in East Ayrshire, and by almost a quarter in the wider county, while drug crimes have fallen dramatically despite an increased detection rate.

The number of common assaults has risen by around 200, along with a slight rise in shoplifting offences and a marginal reduction in fraud reports – with CS Hussain citing the latter as another area of focus.

He said: “Officers across Ayrshire have been focusing on the priorities that matter to our communities and this latest report underpins their hard work.

“One of those priorities is the increase in fraud. Ayrshire has experienced some cruel acts of vulnerable people being exploited by imposters disguising their wicked intent.”

Homicides are down in Ayrshire this quarter– from five to two.