Crime figures are pretty pointless unless you can make sense of them. Official figures suggest crime in Wiltshire has increased dramatically while police chiefs are telling us the rise is down to a change in recording systems.

Therefore instead of violent crime in Wiltshire shooting-up by 44 per cent 100 per cent more than the national average we are supposed to accept that violent crime has stayed at the same level or actually decreased. Confused? You ought to be.

Either this crime is happening or it isn't. Confusing figures just lead to conspiracy theories about what the police are really trying to cover up.