MORE sexual offences were recorded in East Hampshire over the last year, despite an overall drop in crime.

Hampshire Constabulary recorded 213 sex crimes in the district in the 12 months to September, according to the Office for National Statistics – an increase of 19 per cent on the previous year.

That equated to 1.7 crimes per 1,000 people; the rate across all of England and Wales was 2.9.

Nationally 63,100 rapes were recorded in the period, up 13 per cent on the previous year’s 56,100.

This was the highest annual figure, and the 17,400 between July and September was the highest quarterly figure.

The total number of offences in East Hampshire fell by two per cent, with police recording 5,722 crimes for an overall crime rate of 46.2 per 1,000 people, compared to the national average of 82.4.

Other crimes recorded in East Hampshire included 2,281 violent offences (up six per cent), 1,427 thefts (down 21 per cent), 672 incidents of criminal damage and arson (down 11 per cent), 78 possessions of weapons such as firearms or knives (up six) and 733 public order offences (up 24 per cent).