Assaults up 20% Territory wide: NT crime statistics

ASSAULTS across the Territory remain high with the latest police statistics revealing crime against the person is up 20 per cent in the year to January 31

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Assaults across the Territory remain high with the latest NT Police crime statistics revealing crime against the person is up 20 per cent in the year to January 31 compared to the previous 12 months.

Alcohol related assaults are up 31 per cent over the same time period while domestic violence related assault is up 28 per cent.

The shocking statistics comes after the previous crime statistics for 2020 compared to 2019 revealed similar spikes in assault related harm.

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Across the Territory crime against property has dropped by 12 per cent.

In Darwin assaults have jumped 18 per cent, domestic violence related assaults and alcohol related assaults have both jumped 20 per cent.

House break-ins have dropped 38 per cent year on year to January 31.

Northern Commander Tony Deutrom said it was important to “take stock” of improvements.

This includes the ongoing Territory-wide downward trend of car thefts and break-ins.

Northern Commander Tony Deutrom. Picture Katrina Bridgeford.

In Palmerston alcohol related assaulted have jumped a whopping 61 per cent from 249 report in the year to January 31 2020 to 403 reports in the year to January 31 2021.

DV related assaulted for the satellite city are up 35 per cent while sex assaults are up 8 per cent.

Crime against property has dropped 10.51 per cent.

In Alice Springs the new data shows home break-ins rose nearly 25 per cent year-on-year alongside a 30 per cent spike in domestic violence related assaults.

NT Police Southern Commander Craig Laidler admitted it was a “challenging time” in the Red Centre and that there was “a bit of work for us to do”.

The statistics do not offer a breakdown on offences committed by kids but Commander Laidler said half of all crime tackled by Strike Force Viper had been carried out by youth.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro seized on the crime data as proof the government had “lost control” and its policies had “failed”

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“We can’t expect (police) to shoulder the enormous weight of Labor’s failed law and order and alcohol policies,” she said.

“These appalling crime figures fall squarely at the feet of the Gunner Government

Follow @JudithAisthorpe