Do our Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson, and Chief Constable, Catherine Roper, live in the same Wiltshire as the rest of us? They constantly feed us glossy press releases insisting that Wiltshire remains one of the safest counties in England and Wales. Look beneath the spin, however, and a starker, deeply troubling picture emerges—one that raises serious questions about their failure to protect the most vulnerable in our communities, particularly women and girls.
The latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), covering the year ending June 2026, make grim reading. While the PCC and Chief Constable continue to point to Wiltshire’s low overall crime rate, the categories moving in the wrong direction tell a very different story:
- Recorded sexual offences rose from 2,224 to 2,419—an increase of 8.8%.
- Violence without injury increased from 7,054 to 7,794—up 10.5%.
- Stalking and harassment offences climbed from 4,232 to 4,669—a rise of 10.3%.
Let’s be clear about what sits behind these figures: more reported sexual offences, more violence without injury, and more stalking and harassment across Wiltshire. Each recorded offence represents harm experienced by a real person—not a line in a performance spreadsheet.
And what is the official response from the PCC’s office? We are told that the rise may reflect “greater victim confidence in reporting” and “improved recognition”. Better reporting and recognition matter, but they cannot become a catch-all defence whenever recorded offences rise. The public deserves a candid explanation of what is driving these increases, what is being done to reverse them, and how success will be measured.
Regular readers will know that this frustration is not new. In February, when the PCC offered his chosen Chief Constable, Catherine Roper, a contract extension until 2030, I published “Crime has risen, our PCC and Chief Constable must resign”. Crime was already rising sharply across the county. Then, in July, when Mr Wilkinson celebrated Wiltshire Police being placed in “Tier 1” for performance, I responded with “You’re Havin’ a Laugh!”. The bureaucratic spin simply did not match what people were experiencing on the ground.
Nobody is laughing now. These latest figures expose the weakness of those “Tier 1” boasts. How can a force claim top-tier performance while recorded sexual offences and stalking and harassment are rising so sharply? Whatever the wider performance measures may show, these trends demand accountability from the very top.
Behind every statistic is a person whose life may have been upended. Our communities do not need more polished public relations, tone-deaf campaign material, or administrative self-congratulation. They need a police force that deters offenders, supports victims and produces measurable reductions in harm—and a PCC and Chief Constable, who are willing to accept responsibility when that is not happening.
It is time to drop the spin and the excuses. Publish a clear plan, set measurable targets, report progress honestly and deliver the protection our communities deserve, or admit that you have utterly failed (again) and resign!