A Lanarkshire MSP has described recent statistics which show that the number of sexual crimes in Lanarkshire have risen sharply as "deeply troubling".
Tory MSP Graham Simpson's comments come after new statistics from the Scottish Government’s Recorded Crime data showed that the number of sexual crimes committed in Scotland had risen by 14 per cent since 2018 and seven per cent since 2021.
Non-sexual violent crime was also up, rising nine per cent on the previous year and five per cent since 2018.
This follows an announcement earlier this month that the number of local police officers in Lanarkshire had fallen by 41.
In South Lanarkshire sexual crimes rose by eight per cent in the last year and 18 per cent since 2018.
North Lanarkshire has seen a yearly rise of 11 oer cent and 15 per cent since 2018.
There has also been a 21 per cent increase in ‘crimes against society’ in South Lanarkshire in the last four years. These include convictions for possessing weapons and supplying drugs.
Mr Simpson says the SNP Government must prioritise keeping the public safe and protect the justice budget from additional cuts.
The MSP has called on officer numbers to be increased and court backlogs to be addressed across the region to ensure more victims receive the justice they deserve.
The Conservative MSP told Lanarkshire Live : “These deeply troubling statistics confirm that crime, in particularly sexual crimes, continue to rise in Lanarkshire under the SNP.
“The Justice Minister has openly admitted that more could be done to reduce crime levels in Scotland.
“But instead the SNP are presiding over record numbers of police retirements, criminals being wrongly released and court backlogs caused by delayed maintenance projects.
“Keeping the public safe should be a priority for this Government, but evidence as startling as this suggests that is not the case."
Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: "We know that Scotland continues to be a safe place to live, where the vast majority of people do not experience crime.
"The latest figures today show recorded crime is at the lowest level seen since 1974, and down 43 per cent since 2006-07.
"This is welcome as it means that every year there are thousands fewer victims in Scotland than there were 15 years ago.
"But there is more to be done. Continuing to reduce crime and the harm it causes both individuals and our society as a whole is central to our ambitious vision to reform our justice system."
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