Fewer than one in 14 violent assaults result in criminal being charged

EMBARGO: For Immediate Release

Fewer than one in fourteen violent assaults last year resulted in a criminal being charged, shocking new analysis published by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

The House of Commons Library analysis shows of the 558,886 offences of violence with injury recorded last year, just 39,472 (7%) resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed.

The worst performing force was the West Midlands where fewer than one in 30 (3%) violent assaults led to a suspect being charged. This was followed by Sussex (4.8%), Surrey (5%) and Hertfordshire (5.4%). 

Meanwhile, more than 86,000 cases went unsolved, with the case being closed before a suspect was even identified. 

The Liberal Democrats warned these figures prove that far too many violent criminals are being let off the hook and allowed to roam the streets. 

The party is arguing that years of Conservative cuts and putting policing resourcing in the wrong places has left community policing decimated and the criminal justice system overwhelmed. 

Since 2015, the Conservatives have taken over 4,000 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) off the streets, while just 12% of police officers across England and Wales are assigned to neighbourhood policing as of 2022. 

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a return to proper community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and able to focus on tackling local crime. 

Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney, who commissioned the research, said:

“The public will be rightly disturbed to see so many violent criminals are being let off the hook while victims are denied justice.

“Our towns and cities are turning into a lawless Wild West where even highly serious crimes like violent assaults are going unsolved and unpunished.

“The Conservative government has decimated community policing, leaving people no longer feeling safe in their own streets and neighbourhoods.

“We need to see a return to proper community policing, where officers are trusted and visible and victims finally get the justice they deserve.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

First reported by the Telegraph here

Full data broken down by police force is available here, based on the most recent update on Home Office, Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables. 

Violence with injury is defined by the ONS as all incidents of wounding and assault with injury