Violent crime in England and Wales has risen by 24%, including a 9% rise in knife crime and a 7% rise in gun crime in the 12 months to June, according to police recorded crime figures.

The number of murders in England and Wales also jumped 20% to 681, a rise of 144 – the highest level for more than five years. The murder rate includes the 96 killed at Hillsborough in 1989 following the conclusion of the official inquests.

Police figures also show that the number of reported rapes and other sexual offences rose by 14%, reflecting a slowing of the recent increase in reporting rates for these types of crime.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the 24% rise in violent crime was largely due to improvements in recording practices and increased coverage but did include “a small but genuine increase in some categories of violent crime”.

But the overall crime rate remained broadly flat as measured by the Crime Survey of England and Wales, which estimated that there were 6.5m crime incidents in the 12 months to June – a fall of 1% compared to the previous year.

The ONS also published its second ever estimate of online crime, which it put at 5.6m fraud and computer misuse offences, confirming its high volume on a level comparable with offline crime. The two sets of figures will be merged into the overall headline figure in January.

John Flatley of the ONS said: “Violent crime covers a wide spectrum from minor assaults, harassment and abuse that result in no physical harm to the victim through to incidents of wounding and murder.

“The latest figures present a complex picture, with the crime survey for England and Wales estimating similar levels of violent crime to that seen in recent years, but the number of offences recorded by the police increasing.

“We think the rise in the police figures is due to a combination of factors. First, the expansion of the police series to cover new harassment offences. Second, a greater proportion of incidents reported to the police being recorded as crimes. At the same time, the crime survey has shown a greater proportion of victims of violent crime reporting to the police. Finally, it appears there has been a small but genuine increase in some categories of violent crime.”