Reports of domestic abuse are on the increase in West Cork division

REPORTS of domestic abuse have increased across all three Cork garda divisions, according to the latest garda figures given at a recent meeting of the Cork County Joint Policing Committee (JPC).

Chief Supt Con Cadogan said there has been an 8% increase in domestic abuse reports in the Cork West Division for the first eight months of this year, compared to the same period for last year. Cork city also saw a 30% increase in reports, while Cork North had a 12% increase in reports.

Meanwhile, reports of sexual assaults in the Cork West Division were down from 27 last year to 25 this year, while reports of rape of a male or female decreased from 14 to less than 10 for the same period last year.

However, driving while intoxicated was up across all three garda divisions, with 174 offences detected this year in the Cork West Division compared to 136 last year. But drug driving detections in the Cork West Division were down from 90 to 53.

There was also a marked increase in property crime, which rose from 253 last year to 301 this year, while crimes against the person saw an increase, from 225 last year to 282 this year.

Chief Supt Cadogan said crime has increased across all three garda divisions and burglaries in the Cork West Division rose from 40 to 51, while thefts from shops were up 20 from 67 to 87, and theft of other property increased from 84 to 97. He said the increase in theft from shops is part of a ‘national trend’ and is due to the fact that more people are out shopping again after the pandemic, and that criminals are back out, too.

‘Our crime prevention officers are out there helping retailers with advice, and CCTV systems upgraded during the pandemic are leading to a significant increase in detections. It’s a very difficult one and what we have noticed is that quite a lot of the stuff being taken are small in amounts,’ said Chief Supt Cadogan.

Minor assaults in the Cork West Division increased by 50 from 122 last year to 172 this year, while assaults causing harm were up two – from 35 to 37.

Both drunkenness offences and criminal damage were down, but public order offences rose from 109 to 112.

Drug offences were down in Cork West Division, which Chief Supt Cadogan attributed to a number of significant detections by Revenue and Customs officers, as well as the cancellation of some festivals. 

Detections  of drugs for personal use were down from 172 last year to 122 this year, while the numbers detected for possession of drugs for sale or supply remained the same.

Meanwhile, it was Chief Supt Cadogan’s last JPC meeting as he is due to retire at the end of next month. Chair Cllr Cathal Rasmussen led warm tributes to the Caheragh native who retires after 40 years of dedicated service in An Garda Síóchána.