The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell has described as 'worrying' crime figures indicating a 42 per cent increase in the number of sexual assaults in the last three months, compared to the same period last year.
Mr McDowell was speaking at the launch of the provisional crime statistics for the first nine months of the year.
However, despite the increase in sexual assaults in the third quarter, the number of sexual assaults overall for the year to date has fallen compared to 2002.
Today's figures show a decrease in the reported crime rate of 3 per cent in the first nine months of 2003. The figures include a significant fall in the number of violent crimes recorded.
There were 4 fewer murders - a ten per cent drop - in the first nine months of this year. The figures also show 1067 fewer assault cases - a drop of 26 per cent. The Department of Justice figures also indicated a drop of 58 per cent in aggravated sexual assault.
Although the figures indicate a drop in violent crime, there were significant increases in recorded burglaries and theft. There was a rise of 11 per cent in theft from the person and an increase of 33 per cent in cases of aggravated burglary with robbery from the person up by 15 per cent.
While the Minister was pleased to note a drop in some offences recorded, he urged caution over the interpretation of the statistics as they remain subject to a validation process.