Highlands and Islands described as "a safe place to live" by Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Conrad Trickett as latest Police Scotland recorded crime figures show an overall fall
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Police Scotland is reporting a slight rise in sexual assaults in the Highlands this year compared to last.
Set against an overall drop in recorded crimes in the region, the force says the increase was evidence of improved public confidence in reporting such crimes.
Figures for April 1 to September 30 show a slight increase in certain other categories of crime including serious and common assault, theft and fraud.
But there was a fall in the total number of recorded offences across all types, from 3814 to 3662 incidents for the six-month period.
Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Conrad Trickett, said: “The Highlands and Islands area continues to be one of the safest places to live in Scotland, but we are not immune to issues faced elsewhere.”
Reported sexual offences, overall, fell from 253 to 243 for the period, with the detection rate increasing from 66.8 to 73.3 per cent.
Within this category, however, indecent and sexual assault rose from 65 to 77, but rapes and attempted rapes fell from 82 to 51.
There was a slight rise in recorded crimes of dishonesty, from 1237 to 1249, mirrored with a rise in offences of malicious damage and fire-raising.
There were no murders during the period, compared to three in the same six months last year.
Non-sexual crimes of violence also fell, while domestic abuse incidents fell from 1334 to 1176, a drop of 11.8 per cent.
There was a surge in missing person reports, from 658 to 960, although this was said to be a return to past norms, with the previous year's lower number credited to the impact of lockdown.
Police Scotland, however, stressed that for all of the figures there was likely to be revision and reclassification as investigations proceed.
Driving offences, overall, rose slightly from 3529 to 3596, with a rise in fatalities from three to seven and serious injuries from 55 to 63.
Ch Sup Trickett added: “We will continue to work closely with our colleagues in the Road Policing Division to take action and make our roads a safe place for all.”
