School grounds among highest for violent crime

There were 12 reports of violent crime in the school grounds between 2007 and 2010 - rising from 3 in 2007/8 to 6 in 2008/9 before falling back to 3 again in 2009/10.

Only at Movilla High School in Newtonards (14 reports) and Omagh High School (14) were there more violent crime recorded.

Violent crime includes offences against the person, sexual offences and robberies and while the offences may have taken place on school premises they may have occurred outside school hours.

Lisneal had by far the highest level of recorded crime in Londonderry by comparison with other schools.

At other schools where incidents were recorded there were three reports of violent crime at Foyleview Special School, Hollybush Primary School, St Therese’s Primary School and Stradreagh; two reports at Immaculate Conception College, St Columb’s College and St Joseph’s Secondary College; and one reports at Belmont Children’s Home, Belmont House Special School, Carnhill Community Centre, Ebrington Primary School, Fountain Primary School, Foyle and Londonderry College, Glendermott Primary School, Holy Family Primary School, Nazareth House, Oakgrove College, Oakgrove Integrated College, St Brigid’s College, St Mary’s College, St Oliver Plunkett Primary School, St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s College, St Peter’s High School, Steelstown Primary School and Thornhill College.

Limavady High School also had a high level of recorded crime due to a spike in 2009/10 - 10 reports in all.

Other schools in the Limavady area reporting violent crime included Limavady Central Primary School (2), Rossmar School (2), St Mary’s High School (2) and St Patrick’s College (2).

There was one report at both Ballykelly Primary School and Termoncanice Primary School over the three years.

The information was released by the PSNI in response to a Freedom of Information request and refers to “recorded violent crime where location information indicates the offence to have taken place at a school.”