THE number of reported assaults in Clare increased by nearly 50% between 2007 and 2008, while the number of recorded sexual offences dropped, according to figures released this week.

The Garda Recorded Crime Statistics show that the number of assaults reported in the county went from 215 in 2007 to 322 the following year and while the number of incidents detected in that period rose, the overall detection rate was down.
The figures released by the Central Statistics Office show that the number of recorded incidents of assault causing harm went from 69 in 2007, with 61 detections followed by 31 relevant proceedings, to 68 the following year with 59 detections and 32 subsequent relevant proceedings.

Death
In 2008, there were no recorded incidents of murder, manslaughter or infanticide, compared with three the previous year. There were no recorded incidents of attempted murder and two in both years of murder threats.

Sexual offences
Across Clare, the number of recorded incidents of rape went from 11 in 2007 to seven in 2008. While the detection rate in 2007 was over 90%, this was down to 42.9% the following year.
Recorded incidents of sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault and sexual offences involving a mentally impaired person dropped from 20 to 13 between the two years, while the detection rate went from 90% to 92.3%.
In both years, there were one case of defilement of a boy or girl under 17 years of age and in each year there was a 100% detection rate.

Robberies and burglaries
The number of aggravated burglary incidents rose from one to four between 2007 and 2008, with a 100% detection rate in 2008.
There were three aggravated burglaries where a firearm was used in 2008, up two from the previous year, and nine where a knife was involved, a jump of three.
The number of recorded burglaries countywide went from 438 in 2007 to 522 the following year. The detection rate also rose from 32% to 36.2% in that time.
While recorded incidents of robbery, extortion and hijacking offences decreased from 23 to 13 between 2007 and 2008, the detection improved significantly year on year, from 56.5% to more than 92%.
Incidents of theft went up to 1,133 from 992 the previous year. There were 21 incidents of handling stolen property, while cases of fraud, deception and related offences also rose, from 76 to 108.
There were 166 recorded incidents of theft or taking of a vehicle and related offences, up 12 on the previous year. Detection rates in both years remained close to one quarter.
The number of recorded incidents of false imprisonment were down from three in 2007 to none the following year.

Driving
While the number of incidents of dangerous driving leading to death went from five in 2007 to none in 2008, cases of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm went from none in 2007 to three the following year.
The number of incidents of being in charge of a vehicle while over the legal alcohol limit went down from 523 in 2007 to 429 within 12 months and there was a rise in the number of recorded incidents of people driving while under the influence of drugs. These figures went from 13 to 30 in the period.

Weapons
There were 14 recorded incidents of firearms offences in 2007. This went down to 11 in 2008. In both years, there was a 100% detection rate.
Offensive weapons offences went from 64 in 2007 to 62 12 months later but the detection rate rose.

Damage
There were 78 recorded incidents of arson in Clare during 2008, a jump from 44 the previous year. The detection rate went from just over 11.4% to 19.2% between 2007 and 2008.
Criminal damage incidents rose too from 732 in 2007 to 845 and the detection rate dropped from 29% to 26.5% over the period.

Disorderly conduct dropped slightly between 2007 and 2008, with the numbers of recorded incidents going from 1,380 to 1,293. Detection rates were high in both years, rising from 95.5% to 98.5%.
There were four recorded cases of prostitution in 2008, compared to one in 2007. Incidents of use of data, electronic counterfeit and broadcasting went from one to four over the same amount of time.
There were a total of 394 incidents of controlled drug offences in 2008 in the county, an increase of 37 on the previous year.