Sheffield students ‘more likely to be victims of booze-fuelled attacks’

Students in Sheffield are more likely to be victims of alcohol-fuelled violence than the rest of the city’s population, according to police.
South Yorkshire Police have issued an alcohol warning to studentsSouth Yorkshire Police have issued an alcohol warning to students
South Yorkshire Police have issued an alcohol warning to students

To coincide with freshers week and the start of the academic year, South Yorkshire Police have joined forces with both Sheffield universities to remind students of the link between alcohol and violent crime.

According to the force’s figures between September 2014 and June 2015, alcohol was an aggravating factor in 22 per cent of the 256 violence against the person type offences involving students.

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Across the same period, the figure of alcohol as an aggravating factor in violent offences fell to 16 per cent of the 1,052 incidents for the general population.

Chief Inspector Jayne Forrest, who leads the police’s response to violent crime in the city, said: “We are not the fun police and I know how exciting it is to be a student, particularly when you’re living away from home for the first time.

“Our message is a simple one around knowing your limits and not letting one extra drink result in what can be life-altering consequences.

“I’ve seen the results of alcohol-fuelled violence too many times and a drunken scuffle can result in life-defining consequences for both the victim and the perpetrator.

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“There can be little worse than seeing someone’s future jeopardised because of one drunken mistake.

“A conviction can profoundly affect your career prospects and make travelling to certain countries difficult.”

More information on the campaign can be found by searching the hashtag #BadNightOut.