Map reveals UK’s worst sex crime hotspots – as assaults continue to surge with thousands more attacks over last year

THE UK’s worst sex crime hotspots have been revealed as assaults continue to surge, according to shocking new statistics. New figures show 217,567 sexual offences were recorded across England and Wales in the year to March 2026 – a 4 per cent rise, or 8,702, compared to the previous year. Paul Devaney, aged 42, was jailed for life after admitting rape at Teesside Crown Court earlier this year But one area has emerged as the nation’s worst hotspot, with a staggering 5.0 sex crimes for every 1,000 people – soaring above the national average of 3.5, The Sun can reveal. Despite being one of Britain’s smallest police forces, Cleveland Police recorded the highest rate of sexual offences per head, according to Home Office data. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The force covers Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool and Redcar – communities on Teesside and North Yorkshire already struggling with high rates of violence and drug crimes. A 10 per cent rise was recorded in the region, amounting to 12,751 sexual offences during that year. Jordan Reynolds, 30, was sentenced to 17 years at Bradford Crown Court in March for multiple rapes West Yorkshire was the second worst area for sexual offences Credit: Alamy The volume of sexual offences recorded by the police has been increasing over the last decade, according to the ONS. The ONS say there was a rise of 4 per cent in the year ending March 2026 compared with the previous year. And the area to see the biggest increase over the twelve months was Dyfed Powys in Wales which saw a staggering 17 per cent surge. There were also 13 per cent rises in both Gwent and Wiltshire and a 12 per cent increase in Nottinghamshire. Most read in The Sun Meanwhile, the second worst area for sexual offences per head is West Yorkshire where 4.4 sex offences were recorded per 1,000 people. It is closely followed by Avon and Somerset (4.3), Greater Manchester (4.2), South Yorkshire (4.0) and West Midlands (4.0). Areas policed by Cleveland Police ranked as the nation’s worst hotspot for sexual offences Credit: Alamy Greater Manchester also ranked among the worst areas in England and Wales Credit: Alamy London places below the national average with a rate of 3.1 sexual offences per 1,000. In January this year, Paul Devaney, 42, was jailed for a string of offences against the same woman. The woman was raped by Devaney with video evidence of the crime found on his phone and he was sentenced to life imprisonment at Teeside Crown Court. He also admitted to assault with intent to commit a sexual offence, false imprisonment and controlling and coercive behaviour. The catalogue of offences included punching the woman in the face and pinning her to a sofa, using his knee to restrict her breathing. Elsewhere, in West Yorkshire, Jordan Reynolds was jailed for 17 years and six months at Bradford Crown Court. He was charged with multiple sexual offences including several counts of rape. His victim spoke out following his sentence, saying: “He manipulated me with lies to get what he wanted and scarred me for life with his actions. “He has impacted my life in the most brutal way, and I will never get over it. This has been so mentally and physically draining for me.” Full list of areas ranked by sexual offences Sexual offences per 1,000 people in year to March 2026 Cleveland 5.0 West Yorkshire 4.4 Avon and Somerset 4.3 Greater Manchester 4.2 South Yorkshire 4.0 West Midlands 4.0 Durham 3.9 Northumbria 3.9 Dyfed-Powys 3.9 Gwent 3.9 Northamptonshire 3.8 Lancashire 3.7 Nottinghamshire 3.7 North Wales 3.7 Cheshire 3.6 Staffordshire 3.6 Norfolk 3.6 Devon and Cornwall 3.6 Cumbria 3.5 Humberside 3.5 Derbyshire 3.5 Lincolnshire 3.5 Hampshire 3.5 Kent 3.5 Merseyside 3.4 Leicestershire 3.4 Suffolk 3.4 Gloucestershire 3.4 South Wales 3.4 Cambridgeshire 3.3 Sussex 3.3 Essex 3.2 Warwickshire 3.1 Bedfordshire 3.1 Metropolitan Police 3.1 Wiltshire 3.1 West Mercia 3.0 Thames Valley 2.8 Dorset 2.8 North Yorkshire 2.7 Hertfordshire 2.6 Surrey 2.3 The police force area with the lowest number of sex offences was Surrey (2.3 per 1,000), followed by Hertfordshire (2.6). Meanwhile, The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Thursday that prosecutors had charged nearly four in five rape flagged cases referred by police – the highest rate on record. They reported a rise in rape-flagged cases, saying the number of referrals from police and number of cases charged have reached their highest levels to date. Siobhan Blake, National CPS lead for Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO), said: “Victims of rape and serious sexual offences deserve a criminal justice system which will use every tool at its disposal to bring offenders of these abhorrent crimes to justice. “I hope that by seeing how many cases our prosecutors charge from cases the police pass to us gives survivors the confidence they need to seek a justice outcome. “Those who are questioning whether to come forward, please know we will be here to listen, no matter how long has passed, and to support you if you choose this route.”