Age of the thug: Violent crime by women goes up 80% under Labour

Violent crime committed by women has soared since Labour came to power, it is revealed today.



The number of women found guilty of murder, vicious assault and other attacks has risen by 81 per cent since 1998.

The massive increase, revealed in the Government's own data, means that women are now being convicted at the rate of more than 200 every week.



Murders have more than doubled, life-threatening woundings are up by a fifth and common assault has soared by 151 per cent.

Police are warning that the rise is a legacy of the 'ladette' culture, which they say has fuelled an unprecedented escalation in the severity of female crime.

They blame increasing levels of drunkenness brought about by 24-hour licensing and cultural pressure for women to behave more like men.

Bing Britain: The rise in violent crime among women has been blamed on a 'ladette' culture of excessive drinking (Posed by model)

Women are fast becoming as likely as men to be caught up in alcohol-fuelled violence in bars and town centres.

Dr David Green, director of the Civitas think-tank, said: 'The idea of a violent woman really was something of an oddity 15 or 20 years ago.

'But there has been a trend among a distinct minority of young females to become more like men, and the role models they have chosen to emulate are the worst men, rather than the best.



'Add to that the drinking, and that adds up to more violence.'



The figures come just days after five women were caught on CCTV kicking and stamping on Matthew Campbell, 38, in a random attack.



One of the women was shown stepping forward and kicking him full in the face.

Then, as he cowered on the floor, he was subjected to a barrage of blows and kicks from the gang.

All the attackers, aged between 21 and 42, are members of the same extended family and had been drinking heavily.

In a separate incident, two 17-year-old girls were arrested after a 62-year-old gay man was beaten to death in Trafalgar Square.

Some 12,573 women were convicted for violence in 2007 - the year covered by the latest figures - compared to 6,937 in 1998. Common assaults were up from 3,209 to 8,068.

While the number of murders is low, many criminologists consider the level of increase or decrease the best judge of whether a society has become more violent.



There were 19 murders in 2007, more than double the nine in 1998.

Violence is now the most common reason for women being arrested in England and Wales, overtaking theft and handling stolen goods.

The Police Federation said the days when officers could rely on women to be a 'calming influence' on male drinkers were no more.

Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said: 'These figures are very alarming and it's pretty clear that they are at least in part a consequence of the binge drinking culture that has grown up around the country.

'It's now clear that Labour's licensing reforms were a big mistake and we will take major steps to reform the system to tax super strength alcohol and to stop supermarkets selling booze at a low cost price.'

But Police Minister David Hanson said: 'To suggest that a rise in convictions means an increase in overall violent crime is simply misleading.

'We know less than 25 per cent of violent offences are committed by women.



'But we are not complacent about any form of violence.'

The figures are a blow to the Government on the day police and Home Office are expected to be condemned by inspectors for under-counting the number of violent crimes for years.

Crimes of 'grievous bodily harm with intent' were being recorded as lesser crimes.