Police stats show assault rates plunged as Territory pubs closed their doors

The number of assaults involving alcohol fell by more than a third in the week after Territory pubs shut their doors on March 23.

Alcohol-related assaults fell by more than a third in the week after Territory pubs shut their doors on March 23.

THE number of assaults involving alcohol fell by more than a third in the week after Territory pubs shut their doors on March 23.

Statistics released to the NT News show the total number of assaults throughout the NT dropped from about 150 a week in each of the first three weeks of March to 113 between March 23 and 29.

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Alcohol-related assaults also plunged from 62 to 39 in the same week while domestic violence assaults fell from 91 to 62.

Speaking before the statistics were released, Acting Assistant Commissioner Matt Hollamby said DV assaults would continue to be a priority for police going forward and urged Territorians to do the right thing as restrictions on licenced venues eased.

“The restrictions are easing and will continue to ease over periods of time and we hope and trust that the community will be responsible when going back to nightclubs and pubs and clubs,” he said.

“There’s a message in that for all of us to be responsible and not cause harms in our community.”

Mr Hollamby said the coronavirus lockdown period had seen a reduction in crime across the board.

“I can say that from a Darwin perspective, April 2020 is one of the lowest rates of property crime over the last four years,” he said.

“It’s not the lowest but it’s one of the lowest so that’s a positive for the Darwin and Palmerston communities.”

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Meanwhile, the Darwin and Palmerston hospitals’ emergency departments saw a 27 per cent decrease in total presentations in April compared to the same time last year.