Crimes of cruel treatment towards children and extortion rose sharply across Ayrshire, according to figures released by Police Scotland.

While the data shows other crimes returning to pre-lockdown levels, instances of people carrying weapons and threatening or committing fraud have also gone up.

Crimes involving the cruel and unnatural treatment of children are up by 35.7 percent year on year so far in 2020-21.

Threats and extortion increased by 80 percent and cases of fraud more than doubled from 233 in the first six months of 2019/20 to 469 during the same period this year.

Although there have been fewer murders and serious assaults, the number of attempted murders has doubled compared to the same time last year. But Ayrshire Police Division increased its detection rate for these violent crimes by 10 percent or more.

Reports of serious assaults are down across Ayrshire and there have been fewer incidents of domestic abuse.

Sexual assaults are also down from 128 to 74 between April 1 and September 30, 2020, when compared to the previous year.

Divisional commander Chief Superintendent Faroque Hussain said: “These figures paint a promising picture for Ayrshire’s communities and mirror the sustained efforts of officers’ commitment to keep them safe.

“We know instances of many other crimes are returning to pre-lockdown levels but we must not overlook the progress we have made against the backdrop of the public health crisis. The demand on officers has been unprecedented and it is to their credit that we are seeing a drop in reported crime across several crime groups.

“Weapons carrying remains a concern and we are dedicated to eradicating them from our communities and working with our partners to prevent their availability. We are constantly gathering local intelligence and will not hesitate to bring to justice anyone intent on causing harm to the people of Ayrshire.”

Across Scotland, online child abuse is up by 18.4 percent year on year and by 35.8 percent when compared to the five year average during the same period.

Crimes of fraud have increased by 45.4 percent in the first six months of 2020-21 compared to the same period last year and are 83.4 percent above the five year average.

Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor said: “The rapid increase in online abuse and exploitation of vulnerable people and children, either for financial gain or for sexual purposes, underlines that policing must continue to operate in public, private and, increasingly, in virtual spaces to provide education, re-assurance and enforcement.”