MORE than 230 crimes have been committed inside police stations in Kirklees over the last four-and-a-half years.

Since the start of 2006 there have been 234 offences at eight stations across the district.

The list of incidents includes assaults on officers and members of the public, criminal damage, aggravated vehicle taking, racial harassment, actual bodily harm, thefts from motor vehicles and threats to kill.

Among the more unusual offences is one of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring desertion or absence without leave from the armed forces.

The list includes three instances of breaking out of prison. But it is understood they refer to cases where a prisoner who had escaped jail in other areas was later caught and detained at stations in Kirklees.

According to the figures obtained by the Examiner under freedom of information legislation, 67 of the recorded crimes – more than a quarter of the total – were criminal damage.

A further 62 were assaults on officers.

Thirty of those assaults were at Huddersfield Police Station on Castlegate. The remainder were at Dewsbury Police Station.

Other common incidents included assaults causing actual bodily harm (37), public disorder (15) and common assaults (12).

West Yorkshire Police said the vast majority of the crimes happened in the division’s custody areas.

Many involved police officers and staff who were abused or assaulted by detainees.

The majority of the damage was also caused by detainees.

A spokesman said: “The safety and welfare of people who come into police custody and who work there is a primary concern for West Yorkshire Police and is a responsibility we take very seriously.

“We have taken considerable strides over the years to modernise our custody suites and fully train our staff to ensure we can safely detain those in custody.

“All of our custody staff are fully trained in accordance with Home Office guidelines to deal with the types of conflict that can occur when people are arrested and brought into custody.

“We will not tolerate assaults on staff by people in custody and where such incidents do take place they are fully investigated and prosecutions sought.”

As well as the police stations in Dewsbury and Huddersfield, the figures covered buildings in Fartown, Heckmondwike, Cleckheaton, Gomersal, Batley and Mirfield.

Offences at police stations in Kirklees 2006 to 2010:

Criminal damage: 67

Assaulting a police officer: 62

Actual bodily harm: 37

Racially or religiously aggravated assault, threatening behaviour or harassment: 17

Public disorder: 15

Common assault: 12

Assaulting a designated person: 7

Breaking out of prison: 3

Theft from a motor vehicle: 2

Threatening behaviour : 2

Threat to kill: 2

Aggravated vehicle taking: 1

Aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring desertion or absence from the armed forces without leave: 1

Arson with intent to endanger life: 1

Breach of an Asbo: 1

Intimidating a witness: 1

Resisting a designated person: 1

Threat to damage property: 1

Wounding with intent: 1