'Fear creating crimes' down in Laois but drug offences rise

A reduction in ‘fear creating crimes’ was welcomed by Laois’ new Chief Superintendent. 

Laois Offaly Garda Chief Supt Anthony Lonergan said assault causing harm was down 21% and minor assaults were up 15%. 

He was comparing figures from April, May and June 2022 with reported crime figures for the same period in 2023 at the latest Laois Joint Policing Committee meeting in Portlaoise.  

“I would look at that as the fear creating crimes and the challenges that people meet. A significant positive is that the assaults causing harm is down 21%,” said Chief Supt Lonergan. 

He noted the lesser assaults were up and said gardai would look at that and deliver an appropriate response. 

“The criminal damage and public order are again across the board all down, reflecting a 20% reduction in this area of criminality across the division,” he said. 

The statistics showed a 17% rise in threats to kill or cause serious harm, which increased from 12 incidents in 2022 to 14 in the same three months in 2023. 

“One of our priorities in the policing around Laois Offaly Kildare is that of possession of drugs and misuse of drugs. You will note the possession of drugs is up 120%,” Chief Supt Lonergan said. 

“If  you look at the figures they have gone from 15 to 33 for the same equivalent period last year. There have been one or two significant seizures around that. There has been a lot of good work done around that area. Simple possession as well is up 36%,” he said. 

The statistics also showed a 100% increase in possession of firearm offences, up from two in 2022 to four for the same period this year. Likewise a 100% increase was noted in the possession of offensive weapons, which jumped from five last year to ten in 2023. 

In total there were 112 crimes against the person recorded in Laois in the three months of 2022 compared to 111 for the same period this year. 

There was a decline in criminal damage and public order for the same period which dropped from 251 last year to 201 in 2023. 

Property crime decrease recorded in Laois

Drugs and weapons offences rose by 55% from 92 in 2022 to 143 for the same period in 2023.