Shock Garda figures show massive rise in drug use locally

New figures out this week show that between 2007 and 2008 drug use appears to have shot up in Westmeath - but the number of thefts, robberies and criminal damage fell significantly, as did the rate of drink driving.The Garda Recorded Crime Statistics reveal a massive upsurge in the number of cases of controlled drug offences in the county, with 336 such cases detected in 2008, up from the 204 detected in 2007.Evidence of the increasing use of drugs came also in the figures for the number of drivers found to be driving while under the influence of drugs: up from the 31 of 2007 to 51 in 2008.At the same time however, the drink driving message appears to have been getting through to more motorists, with the number of detections of drink driving offences down to 432 in 2008, compared to the 2007 figure of 523.Nonetheless, in terms of public order, the Gardaí found themselves busier in 2008 than in 2007, with 1,116 cases recorded in 2008 compared to 1,016 a year previously.However, there were fewer problems with pubs and off-licences breaching the liquor laws, with just 32 cases recorded in 2008 compared to the 2007 figure, which was at 72.In general, people were, however, safer in Westmeath in 2008 than in 2007.The incidence of theft dropped significantly: down from 1,242 cases recorded in 2007 to 1,047 cases in 2008. However, the garda success rate in theft detection fell during the same period: in 2007, there was a detection rate of 42.2 per cent, but the 2008 figure was down to 31.6 per cent.The number of burglaries fell too over the twelve months, with 601 having been recorded in 2007, and 582 registered in 2008, but the Gardaí also enjoyed a greater success rate in detection, up from 22.5 per cent in 2007 to 29.9 per cent in 2008.There was also a fall in the incidence of robbery, extortion and hijacking offences, down to 21 from 33 over the course of the twelve months; and in arson, down to 46 cases from 50 and with a slight improvement in the detection rate, from 26 per cent to 28.3 per cent.Criminal damage cases fell sharply too, with 930 cases recorded in 2007 and a detection rate of 22 per cent, while the comparable 2008 figures were 773 cases, and a a detection rate of 23.9 per cent.Somewhat oddly, given the fall in the number of burglaries, robberies and criminal damage, there was an increasing incidence of trespass, up to 58 cases - with a detection rate of 79.3 per cent in 2008 - from the 2007 figure of 44 cases with a detection rate of 65.9 per cent.Offensive weapons possession rose steeply from the 2007 figure of 39 to the 2008 figure of 60.There were two cases of murder or manslaughter or infanticide recorded in 2008, and just one case in 2007. Rape rose by one case from 5 to 6. Two of the perpetrators were caught in 2007, and three in 2008.There was a fall from 25 to 18 in the number of sexual assault cases; assault causing harm was down to 78 from 82; "other assaults" were up slightly from 261 to 272, while harassment and related offences were also up slightly, from 41 to 53.The number of cases of abandonment or neglect of or cruelty to a child was down slightly from 23 to 21.MotoringA huge upsurge in the number of offences committed by motorists was recorded between 2007 and 2008, the figures also show.There was a mammoth increase in the number of vehicles found in breach of roadworthiness or regulatory offences, up from 1,563 in 2007 to 2,431 in 2008.The rise in the number of vehicle tax/registration offences more than doubled over the twelve month period, from the 2007 figure of 732 to a whopping 1,532 in 2008.The figures also show a sharp rise in the number of cases detected in which motorists had no driving licence or insurance.While there were just 566 cases uncovered in 2007, the 2008 figure was 693.Also staggering was the increase in offences of road transport/public vehicles offences, up from 16 to 114 in the same period.However, while in 2007, there were three cases of dangerous driving leading to death recorded in Westmeath, there was no such case in 2008.Car theft levels stayed fairly static, with 153 cases in 2008, and 156 in 2007.