Just five criminals faced court for offences committed in Porthmadog in 12 months, the Cambrian News can reveal, despite more than 350 crimes being recorded in that time.

These included more than 100 violent and sexual offences and nine burglaries.

Latest available official police figures show that 363 crimes were recorded by police between October 2018 and September 2019 in Porthmadog and the surrounding areas.

Despite the seriousness of some of the reported crimes, the data reveals only five people have been brought to court charged with an offence since last October.

Serious offences recorded in the area in those 12 months included 105 violent or sexual offences, nine burglaries, nine drug offences, 42 thefts and five of possessing a weapon.

Official figures show that overall crime in the Porthmadog area between October 2018 and September this year jumped nearly 20 per cent from the same period in 2017 to 2018.

North Wales Police did not want to comment on the figures.

The Crown Prosecution Service was not able to respond by the time of going to press.

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