VIOLENT crime in Ceredigion increased by more than 40 per cent in the year up to September 2017, figures have revealed.

The 41.6 per cent increase in all violent crime was the highest percentage increase of the four counties in the Dyfed-Powys Police force area, with the county seeing an overall increase in all crimes of 21.9 per cent, a total increase of 674 offences.

Despite that Ceredigion still has the lowest level of violent crime of the four counties.

The statistics, which are revealed in a crime and disorder assessment by the Ceredigion Community Safety Partnership, showed that Ceredigion saw an increase in assaults, sexual offences and theft.

But there were decreases in Ceredigion in criminal damage, domestic abuse, arson, robbery and anti-social behaviour.

Across all offences in the report, Ceredigion saw lower levels of offending than the other counties in the force area.

The biggest increase in crime was in violence against the person which saw an increase of 443 offences, a 47. 3 per cent, although across the whole year there were 1,380 offences, the lowest in the force area.

While there was an 8.9 per cent increase in sexual offences in Ceredigion, that equated to an increase of 13 offences to 159.

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition on Wednesday