Alarming rise in sexual offence incidents reported in Louth

There was a 65.1% increase in the number crime incidents of rape and sexual assault recorded in the Louth Garda Division in the 12 months up to the end of June 2025, compared to the 12 months to the end of June 2024, according to the latest figures released by the Central Statistics Office.

147 rape and sexual assault crime incidents were reported in the Louth Garda Division in the 12 months up to the end of the second quarter of 2025 (Q2), according to the CSO release, Recorded Crime Q2 2025. It is up from 89 crime incidents recorded in the 12 months up to the end of Q2 2024, representing a rise of 65.1%.

35 crime incidents were recorded in Q2 of 2025, the same number as recorded in the first quarter of this year (Q1), and up 10 on the 25 crime incidents recorded in Q2 of 2024.

Nationally, there was a 17% increase in the number of crime incidents of sexual offences recorded in the State in the year to  (Q2) 2025.

The Rape and Sexual Assault offence group was one of four offence groups which saw a rise in incidents recorded in the year to Q2 2025. The number of recorded crime incidents fell in the other 10 of the 14 offence groups.

The other three offences groups which saw a rise in incidents recorded were, Public Order & Other Social Code offences, which saw a rise of 6%; Attempts/Threats to Murder, Assaults, Harassments & Related offences, which saw a rise of 4%; and Weapons & Explosive offences, which saw a 4% increase in the number of incidents recorded.