Sex crimes and violent crimes have soared across Aberdeenshire and Moray.
The Police Scotland figures for April to June also show shoplifting, drug possession and drug crimes have risen when compared to the same three months in 2014.
The number of sexual assaults in the three months rose from 31 to 51, a 64.5% increase, whilst the number of rapes in the regions has dropped from 21 to 16.
Overall, police dealt with 124 sex crimes over the period – up 26 on the year before.
Serious assaults have dropped from 32 to 28 cases while common assaults have risen 6.3% from 671 to 713.
This includes a rise in assaults of emergency workers, which rose from 48 to 61 over the period.
Cases of drug supply and production also rose, from 40 to 55 with possession also slightly rising to 220 recorded cases. This was a rise of 10 on the same period in 2014.
Overall, drug crimes went up from 252 to 275.
Superintendent Kate Stephen, of Aberdeenshire and Moray division, said it was “disappointing to see an increase in some areas” but stressed that officers are putting every effort into
“detecting those responsible”.
Officers detected more serious cases than last year with around 1,138 crimes resolved between April and June- 53%. This is up 149 cases on the period.
The senior officer added: “I suppose violent crime in essence – if we look at our more serious ones – is down by 12.5% so we’ve got four less victims for that first quarter, which is positive.
“There are a couple of other areas in terms of violence where we’ve seen an increase however my assessment is that they are occurring in general behind closed doors to people who know each other.
“There is no pattern I suppose in relation to violent crime as well, there is no relation to where these incidents are occurring.
“We’re still seeing alcohol playing a feature.
“Operation Sandside is our operation to target alcohol fuelled violence and that includes domestic violence as well.
“Our actual domestic crimes are down. There is no room for domestic crime. We want to continue to encourage victims of that type of crime to come forward.”
Motor vehicle crime and house-breakings have dropped by 26% and 16.1% respectively.
Crimes of dishonesty are down from 1,048 to 947, fire-raising incidents have plummeted from 575 to 534 cases and vandalism have dropped by 33%.