THE Scottish Conservatives have accused the Scottish Government of failing communities as figures showed anti-social behaviour increased 5% in a year.

Statistics reveal there were more than 343,570 anti-social behaviour incidents in 2017/18, up 17,635 from the previous year.

Glasgow had the highest number of anti-social behaviour incidents at 56,337 - equivalent to 154 per day.

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Police Scotland's management information data, which the force does not consider to be official statistics, indicate there were 941 such incidents a day on average in 2017/18.

Aberdeen City Council had the greatest increase in anti-social behaviour, up 41% year on year from 10,959 incidents to 15,431.

The majority of areas recorded an increase while nine local authorities reported a decrease, the largest in North Ayrshire which was down 7% to 8,783 incidents.

Orkney had the lowest at 218.

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Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: "These rising levels of anti-social behaviour clearly indicate that the SNP's soft touch approach to crime is failing communities."

He said it was "no coincidence that under the SNP police numbers are falling, police morale is at an all-time low".

Mr Kerr added: "There must be no question of abandoning victims of anti-social behaviour or implicitly signalling to the perpetrators that they will be tolerated.

"The SNP must ensure we have enough police officers on our streets to detect and deter anyone undertaking anti-social behaviour, and reassure the public that they will be protected."