Crime in Kent has fallen - with almost four per cent fewer crimes than last year.

That means overall crime for the county has dropped year on year since 2006.

Violent crime has fallen by 6.9 per cent, or 1,718 fewer crimes, while knife and gun crime have fallen by around 20 per cent each.

But sex offences have shot up, with a 15.6 per cent rise, or just over 200 more crimes.

Drug offences are also on the up, by more than eight per cent, and burglaries have shown a slight rise.

The figures are for the rolling year October 2009 to September 2010, and show that all crime in Kent has fallen by 3.9 per cent, compared to the same period in the previous year (08/09).

This means there were 4,389 fewer crimes in Kent and Medway.

Kent Deputy Chief Constable Alan Pughsley said: 'We are pleased these very serious offences have seen major reductions in Kent, where figures were low in the first instance.

"We aim to make Kent as safe a place as possible, and we are completely committed to tackling violent crime and to bringing those responsible for it to justice."

On the increase in drugs offences, DCC Pughsley said: 'The increase in the number of drugs offences recorded actually highlights our commitment to detecting and dismantling not only organised crime groups involved in the cultivation, production and trafficking of drugs, but also individuals who peddle drugs in our communities.

"We have had a number of successful operations within the last year which we are sure have contributed significantly to the increase.

A major operation in October yielded 49 arrests and detected a large number of drugs related offences."

He vowed to fight to keep Kent one of the safest counties in the UK.

The figures in detail

• Overall crime down by 3.9 per cent, or 4,389 fewer crimes
• Violent crime down by 6.9 per cent, or 1,718 crimes
• Knife crime down by 19.4 per cent, or 86 crimes
• Gun crime down by 20.5 per cent, or 15 crimes
• Criminal damage down by 10.4 per cent, or 2,571 crimes
• Offences against vehicles down by 11.5 per cent, or 1,522 crimes
• Brulgy up by 2.3 per cent, or 286 crimes
• Robbery up by six per cent, or 53 crimes
• Theft up by 3.8 per cent, or 1,023 crimes
• Drugs offences up by 8.5 per cent, or 338 crimes
• Sex offences up by 15.6 per cent, or 205 crimes.