London Sexual Offences Map and Crime Statistics, London 2026

Key Points

• National Overview: Police forces in England and Wales logged 217,000 sexual offenses during the year up to March 2026. The sexual offenses include rape, sexual assaults, grooming, voyeurism, and exposure.
• London Statistics: Sexual offenses have increased by 6% in London, reaching 28,203 cases of offenses which included 9,949 rapes.
• High Rate of Offenses in Westminster: Westminster reported the highest rate of sexual offenses in the nation, with 7.6 offenses committed per 1,000 people. This may be due in part to the large numbers of tourists and commuters.
• Leading London Boroughs: Coming next after Westminster was Camden that had the highest crime rate in London (4.4 per 1,000 people), followed by Kensington and Chelsea (4.1), Lambeth (3.9), Tower Hamlets (3.7), Southwark (3.7), and Hammersmith and Fulham (3.7).
• National Picture: Although crime recorded has been decreasing in the last ten years, there has been an over 100% increase in sexual offences since 2016, which is attributed to the increased confidence of the victims in reporting the crimes.
• Charge Rate: Across the country, less than 1 out of every 20 (4.7%) recorded sexual offences ended up being charged. As for rapes, the national charge rate was 3.4%.
• Performance of Metropolitan Police: The Met Police did relatively well compared to the national performance where their charge rate for all sexual offences stood at 6.4%, and for rape cases, it was 6.6%.

London (Extra London News) August 8, 2026 – New Home Office figures have unveiled a stark rise in sexual offending across the capital, with police recording nearly 10,000 rapes and 20,000 additional sexual offences over the past year. An interactive analysis of this data highlights specific geographic hotspots across London, revealing that while sexual violence is a pervasive issue, certain boroughs are experiencing significantly higher rates of recorded crime compared to others.

How many sexual offences were recorded in London last year?

As reported by Richard Ault of MyLondon, new official data covering the year ending March 2026 shows that sexual offences in London increased by 6%, bringing the total to 28,203 recorded incidents. This figure includes 9,949 crimes classified as rape.

This data emerges against a broader national backdrop where police across England and Wales recorded a staggering 217,000 sexual offences in the same period. The categories of these crimes are broad, covering rape, sexual assault, grooming, exposure, and voyeurism.

Which London boroughs have the highest rates of sexual offences?

When looking at the rate of crime per 1,000 residents, the figures identify distinct areas of concern. Westminster sits at the top of the national table, recording 7.6 sexual offences for every 1,000 residents. However, context is vital when assessing this figure; as noted by MyLondon, the borough’s residential population is heavily impacted by the millions of visitors and commuters who pass through the area annually.

Excluding Westminster, the data identifies the following London boroughs as having the highest crime rates per 1,000 residents:

• Camden: 4.4 per 1,000 residents (950 total offences, including 337 rapes).
• Kensington and Chelsea: 4.1 per 1,000 residents.
• Lambeth: 3.9 per 1,000 residents.
• Tower Hamlets, Southwark, and Hammersmith and Fulham: Each recorded a rate of 3.7 per 1,000 residents.

For comparison, while Camden has the highest rate within the capital, it ranks as the 27th highest rate across the whole of England and Wales. Outside of London, Blackpool was identified as having the highest recorded sex crime rate among residential populations, at 6.9 per 1,000 residents.

Is sexual offending increasing across the country?

The data presents a complex picture of long-term trends. According to the Home Office figures analysed by MyLondon, while overall recorded crime has generally fallen over the last decade, sexual offending has moved in the opposite direction. Total sexual crime has more than doubled since 2016.

Last year alone, there was a 4% increase in sexual offences nationally. Experts and police officials often point out that these rising statistics are not necessarily indicative of a sudden, drastic escalation in violent behaviour, but may reflect a “greater victim confidence” in coming forward to report offences to the police. This change in reporting culture has been a major focus for law enforcement agencies seeking to address historically under-reported crimes.

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What is the current success rate for charging offenders?

Despite the rise in recorded reports, the figures raise significant questions regarding the justice system’s ability to secure charges. Nationally, the situation remains challenging: fewer than one in 20 (4.7%) sexual offences recorded in the last year resulted in a suspect being charged. The statistics for rape are even lower, with a national charge rate of just 3.4%.

In London, the Metropolitan Police recorded performance metrics slightly above the national average. As reported by Richard Ault for MyLondon, the Metropolitan Police charged an offender in 6.4% of all recorded sexual offences, and in 6.6% of rape cases. It should be noted that these figures may be subject to change as investigations into the most recent reports remain ongoing.

Why does the number of reported crimes vary so significantly?

The analysis highlights that while major cities naturally record higher volumes of crimes due to population density, looking at “crime rates” (the number of offences per 1,000 residents) provides a more accurate comparative tool.

In terms of raw volume, major urban centres continue to report the highest numbers of sexual offences. As detailed by MyLondon, the cities with the highest total volumes of recorded sexual offences were:

• Birmingham: 5,734
• Leeds: 3,697
• Manchester: 3,323

These figures demonstrate that urban environments continue to face the most acute pressure in managing sexual crime reports, necessitating targeted interventions and community support strategies to address both the high volume of incidents and the complex nature of prosecuting these crimes.

The publication of these figures serves as a stark reminder of the scale of the challenge facing police forces in London and across the country as they attempt to balance rising reporting rates with the difficult task of ensuring justice for victims.