Big rise in ambulance call-outs to assaults
AMBULANCE call-outs to assaults rose by almost 40 per cent in parts of Islington last year, new figures reveal.
Data released by London Ambulance Service (LAS) shows call-outs to assaults rose by 10 per cent as a whole across the borough from 2008 to 2009, with just four out of 16 wards experiencing a drop in incidents last year.
On average paramedics rushed to treat injured victims four times every week in Finsbury Park during 2009, while Caledonian, Clerkenwell, St Peter's and Mildmay wards all saw rises of more than 20 per cent.
Robert Burbridge, head of the Tenants' and Residents' Association on the Six Acres Estate, in Finsbury Park, said: "You do hear a lot of ambulances at night time. We're near the main road and it seems to be every five minutes. With the estate itself most of the problems are caused by people who don't live here."
Eric Sorrenson, of the Angel Association, who lives in St Peter's ward where call-outs rocketed by 38 per cent, said: "Part of it seems to be connected to what's going on by the Regent's Canal where there's recently been a rise in assaults on the towpath."
The newly-released data contrasts sharply with Islington police figures, which show a fall in overall recorded crimes in 2009 and a rise of just three per cent in violent crime last year.
Community campaigner William Perrin, who has lived in King's Cross since 2001 and runs the King's Cross Environment website, said: "The local police have done a good job in Caledonian ward and overall crime has fallen sharply, but these figures are quite startling."
In Clerkenwell, paramedics were called out to 128 assaults in 2009 - 24 more than in 2008.
Ward councillor George Allan, who has campaigned to cap the number of pubs, bars and clubs in the area, said: "I have no doubt alcohol is behind it, but who knows if it is related to the number of licensed premises? My hunch is its street drinking but it's tempting to attach too much weight to one year's figures."
The Greater London Authority, which released the new LAS figures, say the data is "fit for crime analysis purposes" and was complied by "a sophisticated search" of all 999 calls logged since January 2008.
A spokeswoman for Islington police said: "Of all violent incidents reported to police in Islington, there was a five per cent increase in 2009 compared to 2008. Not all assaults are reported to police which might account for the difference in figures. We continue to do everything we can to tackle violent crime. Since April 2009 violent crime has gone down by 11 per cent which includes a 30 per cent reduction in serious youth violence.
Ward |
Call-outs (Jan 08-Dec 09) |
2008 call-outs |
2009 call-outs |
% change |
|---|
Finsbury Park |
385 |
177 |
208 |
+18% |
St Mary’s |
306 |
144 |
162 |
+13% |
Bunhill |
263 |
133 |
130 |
-2% |
Caledonian |
261 |
114 |
157 |
+38% |
Barnsbury |
238 |
117 |
121 |
+3% |
Clerkenwell |
232 |
104 |
128 |
+23 |
Holloway |
228 |
111 |
117 |
+5% |
Junction |
225 |
120 |
105 |
-13% |
Tollington |
211 |
99 |
112 |
+13% |
St Peter’s |
188 |
79 |
109 |
+38% |
Mildmay |
185 |
84 |
101 |
+20% |
St George’s |
165 |
82 |
83 |
+1 |
Highbury West |
164 |
80 |
84 |
+5% |
Canonbury |
151 |
71 |
80 |
+13% |
Hillrise |
134 |
68 |
66 |
-3% |
Highbury East |
124 |
66 |
58 |
-12% |
TOTAL |
3470 |
1649 |
1821 |
+10% |
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