Menace of the violent girls: Binge-drinking culture fuels surge in attacks by women

Last year 87,200 women and girls were arrested for attacks – the equivalent of 240 every day. It is the first time in history that violence has been the most common crime among women and girls, taking over from theft. 

The category includes every violent offence from street brawls and assault to grievous bodily harm and murder.

Ladette louts: The number of violent attacks by women has doubled in five years

The shocking Government figures showed a rise of 8,300 in the number of women arrested for violence compared to 2005-2006 – an increase of 11 per cent.

Critics said there are clear links between the epidemic of loutish behaviour and heavy drinking, which they accused the Government of fuelling through 24-hour licensing.

The Ministry of Justice report, released quietly on to the internet yesterday after MPs had left for the summer recess, also includes alarming figures on the scale of violence by children.

Youngsters between ten and 17 were arrested for more than 230 violent attacks or muggings every day last year. The number of muggings alone leapt by 22 per cent, compared to the previous year, to 17,900 arrests.

Violence against the person – which includes knife crime – was up by almost four per cent, to 67,000 arrests.

The results will fuel concerns that Britain is in the grip of an epidemic of youth violence.

Already this year 21 teenagers have been killed in London alone – most of them in knife attacks.

Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve said: 'These figures show an alarming rise in the number of violent offences committed by women, fuelled by this Government's lax approach to binge-drinking.'

On youth violence, he added: 'Gordon Brown's failed policies have contributed to family breakdown, failing school discipline and mixed messages on drugs and binge-drinking. This has fuelled youth crime.'

Robert Whelan of the Civitas think-tank blamed a breakdown in society's values.

He said: 'There are now so many children growing up in broken homes or with disruptive backgrounds that the self restraint taught to previous generations is no longer there. They think when they are angry they can just lash out.'

Mr Whelan added: 'These figures reflect multiple failures; the breakdown of the family, the lack of discipline in schools and a criminal justice system that does not send out a clear enough message.

'These problems have been ignored or mishandled for so long we have become a more savage society. It is very difficult to see a way out of it now.'

The report contained a raft of new statistics on arrests. Overall, the number of people seized for a recorded crime was 1,482,200 – an increase of four per cent.

There was a nine per cent leap in arrests for violence while arrests for robbery increased by 5,400, or 15 per cent.

Of those arrested, almost a quarter were under 18 and 40 per cent under 21.

The figures on violence by women will be most worrying for ministers, adding to a mounting pile of evidence of a spreading 'ladette' culture. 

Worrying figures: The number of women arrested for being drunk and disorderly has soared

Officials said it was the first time violence had topped the list of categories for which women were arrested.

As recently as 2002-2003, there were only 42,200 arrests for violence, against 93,700 for theft.

Last year, offences of theft and handling stolen goods by women were down to 80,200.

Earlier this year, the Daily Mail revealed that the number of women arrested for being drunk and disorderly had leapt by more than half nationwide – and tenfold in some areas – in five years.

Police leaders blamed the licensing reforms, which ushered in late-night and 24-hour drinking in pubs and clubs.

The Police Federation said the days when officers could rely on women to be a 'calming influence' on male drinkers were no more.

Alcohol Concern said there is no doubt that there were more women binge-drinking, following the example of young men.

It added: 'The trouble is that women's bodies cannot handle these large amounts of alcohol'. 

Binge-drinking culture: 24-hour drinking has been blamed for the rise in crimes committed by women

The number of girls entering the youth justice system also shows an alarming rise.

Teenage girls were responsible for 15,762 assaults and serious beatings last year, as well as more than 1,000 muggings.

They were also responsible for 5,748 incidents of criminal damage and almost 1,000 drugs offences, according to the Youth Justice Board.

In just three years there has been a 25 per cent leap in offending by girls of ten to 17.

Elaine Arnull, of London's South Bank University, said: 'The bigger picture is that behaviour is changing and there is a link between girls using alcohol and violence.'

Other statistics yesterday showed police stopped and searched 962,900 people in 2006-2007, up eight per cent.

This included 96,300 searches for offensive weapons – up 24 per cent.

The Home Office said last night: 'Serious violent crime fell by 12 per cent last year. These figures show police are taking action against violent offenders whoever they are.'