Recorded Crime Victims 2022 and Suspected Offenders 2021

Serious crimes against the person include Homicide, Sexual offences and Physical Assault. The suspected offenders for these crimes were largely males. Of the 47 suspected offenders of detected Homicide offences in 2021 which have been detected by March 2023, 39 or 83% were male and just 8 or 17% were female. This follows a similar pattern to 2020 and 2021. Within the category of Homicide offences, there were 21 suspected offenders of detected Murder or Manslaughter offences and 95% or 20 of these were male. Of the 26 suspected offenders of detected Dangerous Driving Leading to Death offences, 73% or 19 were male compared with 27% or 7 for females. See Figure 3.1 and Table 3.1.

Virtually all (99%) of suspected offenders of detected Sexual offences recorded in 2021 were male and this also the case for the previous two years.

Eight out of ten (80%) of suspected offenders of detected physical assaults in 2021 were male compared with two in ten (20%) for females. This also follows a similar pattern to 2020 and 2021. See Table 3.1.

Two thirds of suspected offenders of each of detected Homicide, Sexual and Assault offences were aged between 18 and 44 years when the offence occurred

Of the 47 suspected offenders of detected Homicide offences in 2021, 31 or 66% were aged between 18 and 44 years when the offence occurred. The share was unchanged from 2020 but more than the 55% in 2019. Just under a fifth (19%) were in the 45-59 age group, 13% were aged 60 years or more and 2% were aged under 18. See Figure 3.2 and Table 3.2.

There were 470 suspected offenders of detected Sexual offences in 2021 and of this, 301 or 64% were aged between 18 and 44 years when the offence occurred. This was down slightly from 2020 (65%) but higher than in 2019 (60%). Suspected offenders aged 45-59 years accounted for 15% of the total and slightly less (13%) were aged under 18. The share of suspected offenders aged 60 or more years was 8%. See Figure 3.2 and Table 3.2.

There were 7,637 recorded suspected offenders of detected Attempts/Threats to Murder, Assaults, Harassments & Related offences in 2021. Overall, 68% of suspected offenders in this offence category were aged 18-44 years at the time of the offence and this continued a similar pattern from the previous two years. Suspected offenders who were under 18 years or between 45-59 accounted for equal shares of the total (15%) while 4% were aged 60 years or more. See Figure 3.2 and Table 3.2.

Within this offence category, about three in four (74%) suspected offenders of detected Attempts/Threats to Murder crimes in 2021 were in the 18-44 age group while it was the case for two out of every three (67%) suspected offenders for Assault offences. However, just over a half (51%) of recorded suspected offenders for Harassment and Related offences were 18-44 years while just over a fifth (22%) were aged 45-59 years. The shares in 2021 for those aged 18-44 were much the same as in 2020 but less than in 2019 (58%). See Table 3.2.