Violent crime falls sharply during Covid lockdown in England and Wales

Serious violence fell by almost a third in 2020 during coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions, according to researchers.

Professor Jonathan Shepherd, co-author of Violence in England and Wales in 2020, said the first UK lockdown saw “steep falls” in violence, while each easing of restrictions was followed by an increase in violence.

From a violence perspective 2020 was the “safest year on record”.

Analysis from the Cardiff University’s Violence Research Group shows 56,653 fewer people were treated in hospital for injuries related to violent acts in 2020 compared with the previous year.

The data, gathered from 133 NHS hospital emergency units in England and Wales, showed 119,111 people were admitted for treatment of violence-related injuries last year, down from 175,764 in 2019.

The declines were greatest among children under-11 (66 per cent).

Men aged 18-30 were twice as likely as females to receive emergency hospital treatment for violent injury.

Prof Shepherd warned the full picture on domestic violence “is still not clear”.

“Police in England and Wales recorded 842,813 domestic violence-related offences in the year to September 2020 but many such offences are not reported,” Dr Shepherd said.

“From an A&E perspective, in Cardiff, which may not be typical, levels of violence in the home did not change relative to 2019.”

Additional reporting by the Press Association.