Leeds school crime figures reveal council ward with highest offences

There were a total of 102 incidents with a school location in Killingbeck and Seacroft during 2019, according to recorded crime statistics held by West Yorkshire Police.

It was followed by Cross Gates and Whinmoor at 48, Bramley and Stanningley at 47, Hunslet and Riverside at 43 and Middleton Park at 40.

The incidents last year were among some of the 3,851 offences recorded as happening at Leeds schools by the force between 2015 and 2019.

As the Yorkshire Evening Post's Your Right to Know campaign continues, we take a closer look at what might be behind the numbers.

Asked why one ward's figure was so much higher than others, Chief Inspector Richard Padwell said: “There are some wards that have very large secondary schools and a number of them. The schools are not evenly spread out. I would think that is almost definitely the reason."

He said that incidents recorded in one ward might involve children who travel from outside that area to attend schools there, citing the example of the number of children living in east Leeds who travel to school in Boston Spa.

How a crime location is initially reported is another point to consider as members of the public often use a recognisable landmark when ringing the police.

What it means in practice is that some of the offences may have happened just outside the school grounds, while others may have been outside school hours or involved people who have no connection to the school itself.

Many though will have been committed by pupils, or even staff, and those are the crimes that are the real focus for the Safer Schools team that Chief Insp Padwell oversees.

The Killingbeck and Seacroft ward, like some others, is home to educational facilities for pupils referred from mainstream schools or specialising in teaching pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.

On whether this might be a factor in the higher figures, Chief Insp Padwell said: "There's a lot of young people with particular needs that get a lot of support. I wouldn't say they're any more criminally minded but it might mean on occasion crimes are recorded."

He said that if a young person who commits an offence has particular emotional needs then it does not excuse criminal behaviour, but should be taken into account when deciding what the most appropriate course of action.

The Your Right to Know campaign uses Freedom of Information legislation and official data to take a closer look at how your taxes are spent and how the city's public organisations are performing. Email [email protected] to tell us about any issues you would like us to investigate.

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