CRIME in Glasgow fell faster than the national average last year as Scotland reached its safest levels since the early 1970s.

Official statistics showed overall offending down six percent in the city in 2014-16 and 37 per cent over the last decade.

However, Glasgow still has more crime per capita than any other local authority in Scotland and three times more trouble than ultra-safe Orkney. But steady improvements have seen the gap between the Glasgow and the next most criminal area, Edinburgh, narrow dramatically in recent years.

Chief Superintendent Andy Bates, Local Policing Commander of Greater Glasgow said, "I am encouraged that Glasgow has seen further significant reductions in crime over the 2014/15 period.

"Violent crime is at an all-time low in Glasgow but we are not complacent and the police officers and staff of Greater Glasgow Division will continue to work tirelessly to ensure Glasgow remains a safe place to work, live and visit."

Officially Glasgow has 11 per cent of Scotland’s population but accounts to account for 19% of all the country's recorded crime.

There were 796 crimes for every 10,000 people in the city, compared with a national average of 479 and figures of 726 in Edinburgh, 608 in Aberdeen and just 145 in Orkney.

Checked and confirmed figures from the Scottish Government published yesterday showed serious violence across the country has halved in the last decade.

But - based on already published police statistics - the numbers also confirmed the continued rise in officially reported sex crime, which is at its highest since records began, up 11 per cent in the year and 46 per cent in the decade.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: "Recorded crime has fallen for the eighth year in a row and is now at its lowest level for 41 years, violent crime is down six per cent and crimes of handling an offensive weapon, including knives, have reduced by 67 per cent since 2006-07.

"The falling figures around violent crime are especially encouraging and are testament to increased policing and to the huge amount of groundbreaking work being done by the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and the Scottish Government’s No Knives, Better Lives programme amongst others to educate our young people about the dangers and consequences of becoming involved in any form of violence.

"Indeed, the number of young people under 19 convicted of handling an offensive weapon has fallen by 80 per cent between 2006-07 and 2013-14."