South Yorkshire Police recorded 34,743 offences in Doncaster in 12 months

South Yorkshire Police recorded 34,743 offences in Doncaster in the 12 months to March, according to the Office for National Statistics.

That was a decrease of 9% compared to the previous year, when there were 38,200.

At 111.4 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far higher than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 77.6.

Crimes recorded in Doncaster included: 967 sexual offences, a decrease of two per cent; 12,506 violent offences, up one per cent; 4,189 incidents of criminal damage and arson, down six per cent; 916 drug offences, down slightly; 372 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, down 13 per cent; 3,659 public order offences, up four per cent; 10,361 theft offences, down 25 per cent; 5,100 stalking and harassment offences, up 13 per cent.

Overall, police recorded 13 per cent fewer crimes, excluding fraud, across England and Wales, with around 4.6 million offences in the year to March.

The ONS said the annual drop was helped by a "substantial" fall in crime during April last year, when the first lockdown restrictions were introduced.

The number of recorded crimes increased between July and September, it added, before decreasing again as lockdown measures were imposed toward the end of last year.

However, in March this year, recorded crime was higher than the previous year as the phased exit from lockdown started.

Billy Gazard, from the ONS Centre for Crime and Justice, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on patterns of crime.

"There were large decreases in theft offences, such as domestic burglary and theft from the person, as more people stayed at home and limited their social contact."

But the figures did show a 28 per cent increase in stalking and harassment offences across England and Wales in the year ending in March, compared to the previous year.

This was driven by an increase in cyber stalking cases during the pandemic, according to the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.

The trust, which was set up to support victims of stalking following the disappearance of Suzy in 1986, said it had seen a rise in calls to its helpline since March last year.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Liam Hoden, editor.