The intense media focus on victims of knife crime belies a sharp fall in violent offences over the past year, according to data released yesterday, which underline the gap between perception and reality.

The Home Office's annual figures showed impressive headline falls: overall crime fell by 10 per cent; the risk of becoming a victim fell from 24 to 22 per cent; and violent crime, vandalism and vehicle-related crimes saw double-digit drops in the latest year.