Assault figures for Tipp Garda Division up 10%

Three of the five Garda Districts in Tipperary have seen an increase in assaults.

Figures which document the year to date show an overall increase of 10% when both minor assaults and assaults causing harm are combined.

The category of assault is determined by the harm caused and force used on the victim.

Assaults across the entire county went up from 213 to 234 in the year to date.

While minor assaults remained unchanged at 150, assaults causing harm increased by 33% from 63 to 84.

Both Tipp Town and Clonmel saw decreases of 25 and 28% respectively.

However, there were significant increases in the other three districts; Nenagh saw the largest jump of 82%, followed by Thurles at 65% and then Cahir at 43%.

Reacting to these figures Chief Superintendent Derek Smart told the Joint Policing Committee that in the case of minor assaults people often don’t follow up and there is no prosecution.

He said they are trying to change this trend and get more people penalised for these crimes.

Responding to a number of questions as to why there was such a rise in certain areas, he said that most were drink related, with the rise of drinking at home adding to the issue.

Chief Superintendent Smart told the JPC that the only way to stop it is to increase Garda visibility and encourage people to report incidents so that officers can respond.