Crime on the rise in Westminster, official figures show

File photo dated 22/10/14 of a Police officer, as according to new figures, some of the UK's biggest police forces have recorded a rise in the number of violent homophobic crimes this year, with hundreds of assaults on gay and lesbian people reported to police so far in 2014 - including more than 300 in London alone. Scotland Yard recorded 1,073 violent homophobic offences between January and October, up from 1,007 in 2013 and 1,002 in 2012.

Crime has risen over the last year in Westminster, official police records reveal.

The Met Police recorded 60,701 offences in Westminster in the 12 months to March, according to the Office for National Statistics.

That was an increase of 61% compared to the previous year, when there were 37,703.

And, at 224.9 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far higher than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 89.3.

Of the crimes recorded in the area over the last 12 months, 1,588 were sexual offences – an increase of 89% from the year before.

Meanwhile, violent crime has soared in the area, from 8,161 to 11,457 over this period.

One of the main factors behind this increase was the rise in violence with injury, which rose by 57%, from 2,584 incidents to 4,064.

And theft offences rose by 91%, with 34,934 incidents recorded in the 12 months to March.

At 129.5 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far higher than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 25.1.

Crimes recorded in Westminster included:

1,588 sexual offences, a rise of 89%11,457 violent offences, a rise of 40%2,306 incidents of criminal damage and arson, up 18%3,065 drug offences, down 5%343 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, up 31%3,749 public order offences, up 31%34,934 theft offences, a rise of 91%2,457 stalking and harassment offences, up 18%