There was a dramatic increase in the incidence of violent attacks reported to the Garda in 2000, according to the force's latest annual report, published yesterday.
A total of 1,703 assaults causing harm were recorded during 2000, marking an increase of 131 per cent over the 737 recorded in 1999. Some 78 per cent of the crimes were detected.
The report also showed an increase of almost 50 per cent in the number of manslaughter cases reported in 2000. These increased from nine in 1999 to 17 in 2000. There were also 39 murders reported in 2000, one more than in the previous year. Over 80 per cent of murders reported in 2000 were detected.
There were 13 attempted murders reported, as well as three murder threats. And 31 abductions were investigated, as were 94 incidents of harassment.
Writing the foreword to the report, the Garda Commissioner, Mr Patrick Byrne, says that less than half of all crimes reported in 2000 were detected. "I am pleased to report that the overall detection rate of 42 per cent recorded in 1999 was again achieved in 2000," he writes. This is understood to be high by international standards.
Meanwhile, larcenies from shops rose by 21 per cent in 2000, while burglaries in general were down 6 per cent. Also down were the number of robberies and aggravated burglaries where firearms were used, from 290 in 1999 to 203 in 2000. However, the number of similar crimes in which syringes were used increased from 274 in 1999 to 320 in 2000.
The Minister for Justice expressed concern at the 8 per cent increase in the number of reported incidents of domestic violence. These increas- ed from 10,110 in 1999 to 10,877 in 2000. Mr O'Donoghue said it was an "insidious" crime "which will require further committed responses from not just the criminal justice agencies but also the health and social services, other statutory organisations and the voluntary and community sector".
While the report notes a 2 per cent drop in reports of larcenies from unattended vehicles in 2000, there was a 7 per cent increase in the number of cars stolen, with some 15,964 reported stolen in 2000.
More than £60 million worth of property was stolen in 2000 and just 5.5 per cent of it was recovered, the report says.
While there was an overall drop of 1 per cent in the number of reported offences of sexual assault, there was a 33 per cent increase in the number of aggravated sexual assaults. There was also a 38 per cent increase in reports of incest. And more than five rapes were reported every week.
Over 8,000 drugs-related offences were recorded in 2000. Most were for possession of drugs and, as in previous years, almost all (95 per cent) of heroin offences were recorded in the Dublin area.
The 249,887 traffic offences recorded represent a decrease of 6 per cent othe 1999 figure. The number of arrests for drink-driving offences rose by 863 to 10,433, and the number of persons convicted of drink-driving offences also increased, from 5,853 in 1999 to 6,593 in 2000.
The report also noted a 26 per cent increase in the number of on-the-spot speeding fines issued in 2000. Just 75 per cent of the 224,264 fines issued were paid.
Most cases of serious crime, which includes murders, violent assaults, sexual offences, arson, drug-related offences, larcenies, burglaries, robberies and cases of fraud, were reported in the Dublin metropolitan region, where 38,115 incidents were reported in 2000. There were also 10,420 such incidents in the southern region, 10,021 in the eastern region, 7,060 in the south-eastern region, 4,462 in the western region and 3,198 in the northern region.