VIOLENT crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has rocketed by more than 50 per cent in the past year.

The rise in the number of reported violent crimes across the county is well above the national average increase of 11 per cent.

More than a third of violent crimes reported are committed under the influence of drink and drugs, according to the figures in a report to Hampshire Police Authority.

The findings have reinforced a pledge by Hampshire police to tackle the growing problem of drink-related violence and will form part of a crackdown on the problem later in the year under the Safer Communities scheme.

However, officers have said the dramatic rise of 53 per cent is also due to a number of inconsistencies in the way violent crime was recorded by staff.

Deputy Chief Constable Ian Readhead, said: "Violent crime and harassment can have devastating effects on people's lives and we are committed to tackling them.

"Last year we introduced a new audit process to ensure that all incidents, including those where the victim later withdraws their complaint, are accurately recorded and meet the new National Crime Recording Standards. We are confident that the increase over the last year is due to more accurate recording of incidents and not due to an actual increase in violent crime and harassment."

The figures also show how Hampshire police fell well below the target for solving violent crime with a detection rate of 49.4 per cent compared with a target of 70 per cent or more. Keith Ward chairman of Hampshire Police Federation, that represents police officers, agreed the figures were the result of previously poor recording but said there was a definite link in the rise of alcohol-related violence.

He said: "I have to say that we were slow to ensure that the recording of the figures was in line with the national standard quickly enough. Having said that, there is a national rise in the problem of drink- related crime and Hampshire will reflect that too."

He added that the warning by the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) that extended pub opening hours would add to the problem should be taken seriously.

"There is no doubt that binge drinking is a problem and that basically relaxing the opening hours will mean that the binge lasts longer.

"Speaking to young people I know that they go out to get drunk, not just to have a good time with a couple of drinks.

"If they are in that state then they are more likely to meet other people in the same state and that is where the trouble starts."

The drink-related crime link has already been identified as a priority for Hampshire police to address and a number of initiatives have already been introduced in the county including so-called 'sting' operations where underage children are sent in to shops to see if they are sold alcohol.

As reported in last week's Daily Echo, 40 per cent of Hampshire off licences were caught selling under-18s alcohol in a series of undercover test purchase operations staged by Hampshire County Council.

Southampton City Council has also introduced a no-booze ban around the so-called 'clubland' area from Bedford Place to Below Bar as a result of the problem of alcohol-related crime. Those caught drinking alcohol on the streets face it being confiscated and an on-the-spot fine.

A Hampshire police spokesman said: "We estimate that up to 80,000 people come into Southampton at the weekend and as a result of that we are well aware of the drink-related problems that number of people causes.

"As a result we already have a number of initiatives in the city including the exclusion zone enforcement and the ongoing high visibility teams from Thursday to Saturday nights.

"We are also planning a number of new initiatives under the Safer Streets campaign that will be rolled out from the beginning of next month."

Other key findings in the review of the force's performance from April 2003 to March 2004 included a rise of 40 per cent in the number of complaints being made against the police - a figure that again is alcohol linked, according to Mr Ward.

"We are seeing more people who have been arrested thinking that by lodging a complaint against police it will help their case.

"As police are called to deal with more violent crime, they are increasinly having to use such things as CS spray and handcuffs and people who have to be dealt with forcefully think they are aggrieved."

Other findings include:

Vehicle crimes down by six per cent but still eight per cent over the target

Vehicle crime detection rate was 11.3 per cent, above the target of 10.5 per cent

House burglary detection rate was 20 per cent, just below the target of 20.1 per cent

Percentage of 999 calls answered within ten seconds was on target at 90.3 per cent.

Overall crime across the county was up by 17 per cent compared with last year with 100 crimes being committed for every 1,000 people.