Crime figures for the 12 months to June 2017 show a rise in recorded crime in Devon and Cornwall of 17.1% (12,859 incidents), slightly above the national average of 14.1%.

Levels of recorded crime have risen for each of the 43 police forces in England and Wales.

Deputy Chief Constable James Vaughan said the reporting of sexual offences had risen, reflecting ‘hard work we as a force have undertaken in recent years to help give confidence to victims that they should come forward and report these crimes to the police’.

He said: ‘We have also seen a notable increase in the recorded numbers of violence against the person, this is due to the new malicious communications act and covers online harassment which is now recorded as violent crime rather than as a telecommunications offence.

‘I remain confident that not only are my staff and officers working hard to protect and serve our public, but Devon and Cornwall remains a safe place to live, work, and visit, and that the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime is still very low.’