VIOLENT crime in Skipton has dropped almost 10 per cent between April to July compared to the same period last year - and officers are attributing it to the fear of being banned from drinking in the town centre.

Skipton Inspector Tad Nowakowski said the number of violent incidents had dropped from 93 to 84.

"It is very much due to the STAND (Skipton Town Against Nightime Disorder) campaign," he said, adding that the threat of being banned from all the town centre pubs for violence was helping to ensure people behaved themselves.

Since STAND's launch three months ago 10 people have been banned from pubs, and those that have tried to sneak back in unnoticed have been caught.

Insp Nowakowski said he had had some people in the police station pleading to have their length of their ban reduced or lifted.

He added that the licensees in town were supporting the initiative and membership could become a condition of being granted a licence.

He hoped to extend the programme across Craven and join up with similar schemes in Lancashire and West Yorkshire.

Violent crime across Craven as a whole has dropped by 13 per cent - compared to a rise nationally.

Under the STAND campaign penalties for those caught misbehaving in pubs are:

* Violent assault on a licensee, staff, taxi drivers or members of the emergency services on or off the premises - automatic life ban with the right to appeal after five years.

* Violent conduct - up to a 12-month ban

* Violent conduct causing actual bodily harm - minimum two-year ban.

* Possession of drugs and intent to sell - 12 months for class A and up to six months for class B. Drug dealing - life ban for class A and minimum 18 months for class B.

* Drunk and disorderly causing anti social behaviour - three to six-month ban.

* Non-malicious criminal damage - two-year ban. Can be reviewed if the culprit apologises and pays for the damage.

* Malicious criminal damage - up to three-year ban. Can be reviewed if the culprit apologises and pays for the damage.

Crime in Craven has risen by almost three per cent up to 876 crimes - 10 every day-between April and July this year compared to the same period last year.

However the detection rate is 23.9 per cent (209 crimes) down from 32.8 per cent last year. Detection rates in the rest of the Western Area are 26.8 per cent in Richmondshire and 20.5 per cent in Harrogate.

The number of offences in various parts of Craven between April and July this year are; Skipton 450 compared to 489 last year, Grassington 74 up from 70, Ingleton 79 up from 77, Settle 99 up from 79 and Cross Hills 174 up from 136.

House burglaries are up 21 per cent from 38 to 46 offences. Skipton is down from 21 offences to 17, none of which has been detected, Grassington up from two to six (none detected), Ingleton up from two to six (none detected), Settle up from four to seven (none detected) and Cross Hills up from nine to 10 (two detected).

Insp Nowakowski thought most house burglaries could be avoided if residents remembered to ensure their doors and windows were locked when they were asleep, out, or in the garden.

There were only two class A supply drugs offences in Craven from April to July and both were detected, but serious and fatal road accidents have risen from 16 to 24.

Auto crime has risen by 20 per cent from 73 to 88 - up from 29 to 31 offences in Skipton, up 10 to 14 offences in Grassington, from five to nine in Ingleton, remained on 13 in Settle and up from 16 to 21 in Cross Hills.

Insp Nowakowski said that in general he was pleased with the figures and thought the push for high visibility policing had had an effect on keeping the crime figures low.

"We are out there as much as we can be and I am sure that is having an effect on anti-social behaviour."