THE number of children convicted of sex crimes in Alicante province has almost doubled in seven years.
The figures relate to 2024 totals compiled by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
48 people aged under 18 years were found guilty last year, compared to 25 in 2017.
READ MORE:
It’s the highest conviction rate for sex offences committed by minors since current figures started being compiled seven years ago.
Only Barcelona and Badajoz provinces had bigger sex offence convictions among children.
Last year’s Alicante total was the highest since 2019.
It’s not known whether the increase is down to a higher level of reporting of criminal activity or an escalation in young sexual offenders.
The same upward trend is mirrored amongst adults in Alicante province.
In 2024, 257 sexual crimes were reported- compared to the 139 recorded seven years ago.
As with children, this is the highest figure since 2017, registering 36 more cases in 2024 than in 2023 and exceeding 200 sexual crimes for the second successive year.
According to the Central Registry of Convicted Persons, 178 adults were convicted last year- the highest total since the INE started monitoring data.
There were 63 more prosecutions than seven years ago and the number of sentences handed down by courts rose in 2024 to 876.
Alicante is the fifth-highest Spanish province for sex crimes committed by adults.
Click here to read more Alicante News from The Olive Press.
