CLAMPDOWN ON VIOLENT CRIME REAPS REWARDS

Latest figures from Gwent Police show that violent crime is decreasing in Newport. Violent crime and public order offences in the city are 1.4 per cent down this year compared with the same period in 2006/07 - and 5.5 per cent down on 2003/04. Police in Newport launched Operation Bell in the run-up to Christmas after intelligence highlighted that the vast majority of incidents occurred around the city centre late at night.

A significant number of extra officers were drafted in at key times to provide a high visibility presence in problem areas. The figures look even better when considering that attacks on people in Newport are down 2.5 per cent on last year, resulting in 76 less victims.

The Newport Central area, which covers the city centre as well as the council wards of Gaer, Shaftsbury and Allt yr Yn, saw a 3.6 per cent increase in 'violence against the person' offences from last year. But this represents a significant improvement from when Operation Bell began at the start of September 2007, when the increase was 7.8 per cent. Further good news is that there was a massive reduction in sexual offences in the Newport Central area during December, when only two were reported compared with 19 in December 2006.