Gangs based in London extending their operations into Kent could explain a sharp rise in violent crime, says the Kent crime commissioner Matthew Scott.

Figures released by the government show that violent crime in Kent is up by 30% compared to last year.

Sexual offences have also increased by 31 per cent - an additional 976 crimes recorded over the year.

Across the county, total recorded crime was up by 16 per cent, with 131,575 offences recorded in 2016-17, compared to 113,472 the previous year.

But the figures come just weeks after an inspection of the force revealed thousands of crimes were not being recorded by police.

The commissioner said he was disappointed by the rise but attributed some of the increase to London gangs.

“We have an issue known as “county lines” where gangs are running their operations out into the county as far down as Thanet but also much closer to the London border.

"They don’t have any discrimination as to whether it is an affluent or deprived area.

“Some of that has been a driver for why certain types of crime are on the rise.

"Also, [the reason] domestic abuse and elements of sexual crime are on the rise is because policing has come so far in trying to give victims the confidence to report. People feel they will believed, be listened to and action taken.

“Naturally I am disappointed but the figures do reflect the changing nature of crime that police are having to deal with; it is much more stretched than policing has been for a long, long time.

"Burglary and anti-social behaviour are falling and that is good to see but violent and sexual crime is on the rise.

“I want to give residents my assurance that I am monitoring the situation and there is no complacency here.”

“I want to give residents my assurance that I am monitoring the situation and there is no complacency here” - Matthew Scott

Kent Police’s Assistant Chief Constable Tony Blaker said: “The 30% increase in violence against the person means an additional 10,336 crimes recorded and while any increase in crime is concerning, it is important to put this rise into context.

"In real terms, we have seen a 5-10% increase in the volume of incidents reported to us, and with the strict application of Home Office recording rules, this results in a 30% increase in crimes we are recording.

"Many single incidents can now result in multiple crimes being recorded.

“Sexual offences have also increased by 31% - an additional 976 crimes recorded over the year – with high profile stories in the media raising awareness of rape and sexual offences, and improving people’s understanding of what constitutes an offence.

“This has increased victims’ confidence in reporting sexual offences including non-recent incidents and this is reflected in the figures for Kent and nationally.”