Rapes in Islington have gone up by over 40 per cent, the latest crime figures reveal.

There were 114 reported rapes in the 12 months up to December 2011, up from 80 in the same �period the year before.

These include at least three unsolved cases. Two took place within minutes of each other near �Holloway Prison in September. The third was an attack on a woman walking home from a Christmas party in St John Street, Finsbury, in �December.

Katie Russell, from the charity Rape Crisis, which supports �victims of serious sexual assault and has a branch in Brewery Road, Holloway, said: “We need to be mindful that only about 10 per cent of women who are the �victims of rape report it.

“The vast majority of the women and girls we work with never go to the police, so these figures are quite a small fraction of the overall number. But victims can come to us and they will be believed, not judged.”

She said in 85 per cent of rapes the victim knows their attacker.

Det Insp Lee Davison, from the Sapphire Unit that specialises in sex crimes, said the rise could be down to increased reporting.

He said: “The recording of rape allegations is up but that is not an �indication that there is a rise in attacks. Victims of rape feel more �confident reporting incidents to police.

“Certainly in the last year, the Sapphire Unit have been working very closely with the �Islington Community Safety Unit in supporting victims of domestic violence and rape to come forward and speak to police.”

He added: “I welcome the fact that women feel more comfortable assisting police in their investigations.

“Stranger attacks are down, the number of overall charges is up. Detection rates are up and victim satisfaction is high.”

The crime statistics also show personal robbery went up by 30 per cent with more than 1,100 incidents reported. Robberies in total were up by 22 per cent and burglary seven per cent.

Overall crime dropped by two per cent to 27,412 incidents with significant reductions in gun and vehicle crime, and a fall of 11 per cent in incidents of violence against the person.

Outstanding witness appeals:

Police are still appealing for witnesses to three unsolved serious sexual assaults, two of which are linked.

On September 11, between 3am and 4am two sexual assaults took place. In the first, a 23-year-old woman was attacked between the John Barnes Library and Holloway Prison in Camden Road.

In the second, a 43-year-old woman suffered a serious sexual assault in Holloway Road. The suspect in both is black and around 5ft 7ins.

At 3am on December 15, a 25-year-old woman was attacked in St John Street, Finsbury, opposite Sadler’s Wells theatre.

Witnesses should call Islington Sapphire Unit on 020 7421 0282 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.