Londonderry: Physical assaults in city centre at five-year high

The figures show there has been a large increase in physical assaults reported to the police over a five-year period

Physical assaults in Londonderry city centre have hit a five-year high, according to new police figures.

The figures were released by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to BBC Radio Foyle following a Freedom of Information request.

They show a rise of more than 60% in physical assaults reported to the police over a five-year period.

The number of reported physical assaults has increased from 360 in 2018/19 to 583 in 2022/23.

Fewer assaults were reported during Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020/2021, but the number increased sharply in subsequent years.

The city centre neighbourhood policing team will be out on a more regular basis during the summer, Ch Insp Yvonne McManus said.

The police said they will be conducting high-visibility patrols in the area

The senior officer said police will be conducting high-visibility patrols in the area over the summer.

"We have received reports of anti-social behaviour in the city centre, which includes the Waterloo Place area, and we are working hard with our partners to address these issues," Ch Insp McManus said.

"We want the city centre to be a space where people feel safe and can enjoy. This includes people who live and work here and people who visit here. 

"We encourage anyone who witnesses anti-social or criminal behaviour to report it to us at the earliest opportunity so we can respond as soon as possible." 

'Very safe place'

SDLP Councillor John Boyle said the figures were stark but that people should not think the centre of Derry is less safe than anywhere else.

"Our city centre, in my view, is still a very, very safe place for people to visit because, even over a weekend, you might see 10,000 people in and around the city centre enjoying themselves and all that it is we have to offer," he told The North West Today.

"They're quite stark but they're statistics and I would assure people that, you know, it's still a very safe place to visit.

"There are other city centres and places you can visit that are a hell of a lot less safe than Derry city centre."

He added: "As elected representatives, we are very concerned and we have expressed our concern in relation to cuts. There was a cut to the CCTV of in and around £100,000 that came from the top in the PSNI.

"I know locally, the local PSNI commanders are not terribly pleased about that situation but, you know, we have to work within the budgets that we have."