‘Significant rise’ in domestic violence incidents in Kilkenny

Incidents of domestic violence are on the rise in Kilkenny according to the latest crime statistics.

The figures were revealed at a recent meeting of the Joint Policing Committee which showed that there were 126 incidents reported from January to the end of March this year compared to 330 incidents in the whole 12 months of 2023.

“There has been a significant increase,” said Superintendent Aidan Brennan who added that gardaí have a ‘pro arrest and a pro charge policy’ in relation to domestic violence. In 2022 there were 266 incidents of domestic violence reported to gardaí in Kilkenny.

Councillor Deirdre Cullen said that she hoped that the increase was due to an increase in the number of people coming forward and reporting this type of crime and that it was not that the incidences of domestic violence are on the rise.
Supt Brennan told members of the Joint Policing Committee that gardaí are very proactive when it comes to tackling this type of crime.

“If more people are encouraged to come forward and report this type of crime, then we can assist these families,” he said.
Gardaí also told the meeting that from January to the end of March this year there were eight reported sexual offences compared to 31 reported incidents in all of 2023.

Fraud is also increasing according to the latest garda statistics with 62 reported frauds from the first three months of 2024 compared to 205 in all of 2023.

Deputy John McGuinness said that he is aware of businesses in Kilkenny that have been intimidated online and that the matter has been reported to gardaí.

Figures relating to theft from shops showed that for the first three months of 2024 there were 79 thefts from shops. There were 365 thefts from shops in all of 2023 and 229 thefts from shops in the 12 months in 2022. There were also 24 reported thefts from cars from January to March 2024 compared to 41 in the full year of 2023.

Councillor John Coonan told the meeting that High Street is ‘still in an awful position with young people running in and out of shops and stealing goods’.

“We can’t have gardaí everywhere,” he said adding that this type of crime is ‘unfair to shop owners and staff’.

Reports of criminal damage have also risen year on year with 85 reported incidents in the first three months of this year compared to 227 in all of 2023 and 219 in all of 2022. In roads policing 131 drivers were detected holding a mobile phone while driving from January to March of this year and there were 19 detections for not wearing a seatbelt during the same time period.

Deputy McGuinness said that while he welcomed the crime statistics presented at the meeting he would like to see a report on how many of the crimes reported are prosecuted. Supt Brennan responded by saying that these figures will be made available at the next JPC.