Big rise in recorded drug offences

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There were 55,000 drug crimes from April to June, up from 48,300 in the same period last year.

Overall recorded crime levels fell 7% to just under 1,300,000 offences. Recorded levels of violent crime were down 8% overall, including a 14% drop in most serious violence.

The separate British Crime Survey (BCS) showed a 1% rise in violent crime, including a 2% rise in offences causing injury, but the Home Office said these increases were not statistically significant.

The BCS, which ministers regard as the most accurate reflection of crime levels, estimated there were 11,022,000 crimes in the year to the end of June - which was stable on the previous 12 months.

In the recorded crime figures, robbery showed a 9% fall, sexual offences also dropped 9% and criminal damage dropped by 10%.

Firearms offences fell 6% in the year to the end of June, to a provisional 9,712 incidents.

The Home Office said the rise in drugs offences "coincided with increases in the police use of powers to issue cannabis warnings".

Thursday's research showed that public confidence in the criminal justice system has fallen across the board.

In all seven categories - including whether the system is effective at bringing offenders to justice, reducing crime and meeting the needs of victims - satisfaction among interviewees showed a decline. But in two of the seven categories the results were not statistically significant, the report said.