Violent crime in pubs and clubs soars by 50% after 24 hour drinking

 

Last updated at 16:56pm on 14th August 2007 Comments

Serious violent crime in pubs and nightclubs has soared by 50 per cent since the introduction of 24-hour drinking, according to one police force.

Official figures in Devon and Cornwall reveal a significant rise in booze-fuelled crime since licensing laws were relaxed in November 2005.

A total of 67 serious violent crimes such as murder, attempted murder, manslaughter or wounding were recorded at licensed premises in the 12 months following law changes.

There were just 43 such offences in the 12 months before drinking laws were changed.

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Violent crime in pubs and nightclubs has soared by 50 per cent since the introduction of 24-hour drinking, says a police force

 

Figures also show that between November 2006 and June this year there have already been 34 serious crimes.

Critics of relaxed licensing hours say the "appalling" statistics from Devon and Cornwall prove that the move has triggered spiralling violence.

Geoffrey Cox, Conservative MP for Torridge and West Devon, said: "This is the clearest possible signal to the Government that this policy needs urgent re-examination.

"The police used to be able to focus their efforts according to drinking times. The problem now is that you have got sporadic incidents at unpredictable times when police resources are already very thinly stretched.

"This type of rise in serious violent crime is a real and growing problem and the Government has got to do something about it."

South East Cornwall Lib-Dem MP Colin Breed said the rise in violence was an "inevitable" consequence of changing the drinking laws.

He added: "When you increase access to alcohol, more people will consume more alcohol. Inevitably you then get more people involved in alcohol-related violence.

"What is surprising is the failure to crackdown on those involved in serious violent crime. All too often they get relatively light sentences for very serious violent crimes. I find that appalling."

The figures show that incidents rose almost immediately after pubs and clubs were allowed to extend their opening hours.

 

Official figures from Devon and Cornwall reveal a significant rise in booze-fuelled crime

 

In December 2005 there were 11 serious attacks and nine in January. Violence peaked in May when there were 12 incidents - double the number in the same month in 2005. Sergeant Steve Tovagliari, chairman of the Devon and Cornwall branch of the Police Federation, said their fears had become a reality.

"We said from the outset that extending drinking hours would lead to an increase in violence - that has been borne out," he said.

"Incidents now are spread right throughout the evening to 4am or 5am because of 24-hour drinking. Officers are also having to work longer hours to deal with these incidents."

Nationally, the number of more serious violent crimes committed on licensed premises fell by eight per cent in the year after the extension of pub and club hours.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "Data collected from 30 police forces in England and Wales from October 2004 to September 2006, including Devon and Cornwall, show no indication of an overall rise in the level of violent offences as a result of the Licensing Act 2003.

"The report, Violent Crime, Disorder and Criminal Damage since the introduction of the Licensing Act, seems to confirm the Government's belief, as set out when the Licensing Bill was first introduced, that the removal of fixed closing times would reduce incidents overall and spread them more evenly through the night, with some later.

"However, as we said on publication of the report, this data does not provide an analysis of the issues. As such, it is very difficult to attribute changes in levels of crime and disorder solely to the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003.

"As the Prime Minister has said there are concerns around some of these issues and that is why a fuller evaluation of the impact of the new licensing regime on crime and disorder is being carried out by the Home Office, and we expect a report towards the end of the year.

"The night-time economy is extremely complex; there are a range of factors and variables at play that can impact upon levels of crime and disorder."

No one from Devon and Cornwall police was available to comment.

i find this rather strange, most pubs close at/ before midnight anyway.

24 hour drinking, what a myth.

24 hour drinking, what a myth.

 

Unlike the violence.;)