DORSET has seen one of the biggest reductions in crime of all police forces – but sexual offences are up.

Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the number of crimes reported to Dorset Police is down by eight per cent year on year – 38,754 to 35,994.

The only other police force in England and Wales to see the same level of reduction is Cheshire.

However, the number of sexual offences – 655 between September 2013 and September 2014 – is up 30 per cent; and the number of violence without injury crimes (13,452) is up 39 per cent.

The rise in sexual offences is a trend across police forces, with an overall increase of 22 per cent.

Dorset Police says this is because of a greater willingness among victims to come forward due to high profile cases.

Deputy Chief Constable James Vaughan said the decreases in crimes such as dwelling burglaries, robberies, thefts and vehicle crime in the county come after targeted focus on these areas by police.

“While it is extremely positive that we are continuing to experience less crime in Dorset and have experienced year-on-year reductions for the past 17 years, there is evidence nationally to indicate that crime reduction is slowing and many force areas are experiencing increases in crime.

“This is not currently the case in Dorset but as austerity cuts deeper into our budgets, it is going to become increasingly difficult to maintain performance at levels enjoyed in previous years,” he said.

“It is also important to note that while we have seen volume crime reduce in recent years, the complexity of investigations into certain types of crime has increased considerably.

“An example of this is the policing response to areas of vulnerability such as child protection, domestic abuse and mental health.

“These are areas where significant investment has been necessary to improve our ability to safeguard people.

“In addition to these rising demands, evidence is emerging which shows a high volume of crime moving into cyber-space.

“This means that these days people are more likely to have their bank accounts hacked than their garden shed broken into. Online crime and internet-enabled crime are growing challenges.”

Overall, crime is at its lowest levels across England and Wales since 1981.