Crime In Leicester
Leicester is one of England’s oldest cities, located in the East Midlands county. Its cathedral has stood for over 900 years and holds the body of Richard III. With an estimated population of over 500,000, Leicester is the largest city in the East Midlands and the tenth largest within Britain.
The city is known for its famous market, biggest crisp factory, and large Diwali celebrations. But despite this, Leicester’s reputation for violent crime is not so positive. In this article, we will be uncovering Leicester’s crime statistics and how the police have dealt with the sudden increase in violence.
Leicester Crime Rate
Leicester is considered as one of the most dangerous cities in Leicestershire, and it has an overall crime rate of 112 crimes per 1,000 people. The most common crimes within the area currently are violent offences, sexual offences and bike theft. Some of the most
According to Plumpot, another crime that is increasing within Leicester at a shocking rate is violent crime, which currently makes up 38.2% of crime within Leicestershire. It has also been reported that Leicester currently has 110% of the national crime rate.
Generally speaking, Leicester is far from being the most perilous place. Besides the expansion in violent cases, residents admit that they feel secure and that vulnerability does not appear to be a serious problem. Some locals state Leicester is a “safe and friendly city” and studies suggest the district has been ranked as the 13th safest place to live in the UK, conducted by Compare the Market.
Crimes Committed In Leicester
Case Study 1
Regrettably, there have been some shocking crimes in Leicester over the past few years. In 2018, the murder of a young boxer appalled the region. Isaac Williams was found with a severe knife wound to his thigh and died three days later, just before his 21st birthday. His killers, Reuben Stretton and Devan Garner, received a combined prison sentence of 38 years.
Case Study 2
Months prior, on May 15th, 2017, 18-year-old Mucaad Ali Farah was convicted at Leicester Crown Court after killing Abdirahman Adam, aged 22. Adam was lethally stabbed in a busy Leicester street; Farah is currently serving at least 14 years for this event.
Case Study 3
Three heartless killers were sentenced to life following a disastrous shop explosion on February 25th, 2018. Hawkar Hassan, Aram Kurd, and Arkan Ali committed arson with a plot to fraudulently claim £300,000, consequently blowing up the shop. Five people died in the blast, which happened shortly after 7:00pm.
Case Study 4
In recent news, it was revealed that a 14-year-old schoolboy was hit by an uninsured motorcyclist, high on cocaine. Ashley Smith was seen fleeing the scene but was soon caught and sentenced to 3 years behind bars, pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving when disqualified, failing to stop after an accident and having no insurance. Thankfully, the victim is in recovery but has permanent cosmetic consequences.
How Effective Are Leicestershire Police?
Recently, the HMICFRS appraised Leicestershire Police’s overall performance in deterring crime, the protection of people and its response to crime alerts. Altogether, the examination concluded that the force is good in reducing crime, as well as the extent to which the force operates efficiently and sustainably. Zoe Billingham, Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, explained that the police has “strong relationships with other organisations, working with those in need and a well-established training programme.”
Understandingly, there are improvements to be made by Leicestershire Police, such as concerns regarding the force’s ability in recording crime and its understanding of the skills and capabilities in all of its workforce.
Overall, Leicestershire Police’s assessment appears to be optimistic. Although police officer figures have dropped within the force, they state that “in 2006, the police officer to citizen ratio was one police officer for 430 citizens, today there is one police officer per 601 citizens, a 40 percent increase.” Considering the force covers a whopping 980 square miles, its final judgement is very encouraging.
Northampton is another city in the East Midlands with a high crime rate. To find out what Northampton’s crime rate is check our article. Or head over to our news page so that you can keep up to date with all the latest East Midlands news.
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