The number of serious violent crimes has risen by nearly a quarter in Northern Ireland in the past year, according to new figures from the PSNI.
There were 1,665 reported incidents between April 2008 and February 2009, compared with 1,364 in the previous ten month period. This is an increase of over 22 per cent.
Despite the rise in the most serious type of offences, overall violent crime is down year on year by 5 per cent.
There have been a total of 27,529 incidents since April, compared with 28,969 over the same period last year.
The PSNI At last month's Policing Board meeting, Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde said in relative terms the number of serious violent crimes was not substantial.
"Serious violent crime is up by four crimes a week across a population of 1.75 million and a territory of 5,500 square miles," he said.