Town centre crackdown after Worthing sexual offences soar

The borough saw a rise in sex offences of 22 per cent for the year ending September 2019, dwarfing the countywide average of four per cent.

The dramatic spike, revealed in latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, has forced Sussex Police to crack down on night-time sex attacks in town centres.

Chief Inspector for Adur and Worthing, Sarah Leadbeatter, said: “Sexual offences will tend to be under reported and I am encouraged by this report as it is showing that victims are feeling more confident in coming forward to us and reporting the crime.

“However this does not detract from the severity of sexual offences and the serious need to investigate each report to us.

“We have recently conducted an analysis to specifically understand exactly where and how sexual offences are being committed and this analysis has led to a change to our policing approach in relation to the night-time economy.

“We have increased our policing presence in our town centres at weekends and have been developing our work with licenced premises in order to address and reduce sexual offending.

“We would always encourage victims of a sexual assault to report this to us to not only ensure the relevant support is provided, but that the matter is investigated.”

Despite the surge in offences last year, the number of sex offences committed in Worthing remains in line with the county’s average, at three per 1,000 people.

The increase is in line with a worrying trend for the borough, which has seen crime rates soar by 12 per cent over the same period.

The latest figures also reveal a 45 per cent rise in stalking and harassment, 40 per cent increase in robberies and a 49 per cent surge in drug offences.

According to the Superintendent for West Sussex, Miles Ockwell, the statistics are indicative of the pressures faced by the police but are in line with increases seen by other police forces.

“When compared to the national picture, Sussex remains one of the safest places to live, work and visit,” he said.

“We take all reports of crime seriously and are committed to preventing, disrupting and investigating crime.

“It is important to point out that the police are not the only public body with a statutory responsibility to reduce crime and we work in partnership with other agencies to seek to address the issues which may contribute to increases in crime.

“The planned investment in policing is welcomed and we will see extra police officers working to reduce crime which will make a difference.

“However, we also have to consider this in the context of how other services are funded and how that may impact on the overall level of crime and anti-social behaviour within our communities.”

In October, Sussex Police announced plans to recruit 129 new police officers by April 2021, on top of an ongoing four-year, 250-officer recruitment drive.

Worthing’s overall crime rate stands at 82 per 1,000 people – the fifth highest in the county and in line with the national average.

Sussex’s crime rate rose to 72.8 in the year ending September 2019.