UK crime data: 257% spike in Indians convicted for sex crimes, highest increase among foreigners

Indian nationals in the UK have been convicted of sexual offences more than any other crime between 2021 to 2024, new data has revealed.

Data compiled by the UK’s Ministry of Justice says that there was an increase of 257 per cent for sexual offence convictions of Indians in Britain, followed by Nigerian nationals (166 per cent) and Iraqis (160 per cent). Indians were convicted of at least 100 sexual offences in 2024, as compared to 28 in 2021.

Between 2021 and 2024, Indian nationals saw the third-highest increase in convictions for serious offences among all foreign nationalities, with a 115 per cent rise. Egyptians recorded the highest increase, followed by Algerians. In 2024, there were 588 convictions of Indian nationals for serious offences, up from 273 in 2021.

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The MoJ data comes as new immigration data shows that a total of 293 Indian nationals arrived in the UK illegally via small boat last year, while 206 entered the UK this year between January and June.

In the year ending June 2025, Indians accounted for 15 per cent of illegal arrivals at UK ports. During this period, 5,474 asylum applications were submitted by Indian nationals. Of these, approximately 4,000 were from individuals who had initially entered the UK on legal visas, mostly student visas, around 400 were from those who arrived via small boats, and the remainder entered through other means. Regarding initial asylum decisions for Indian applicants, 2,691 were refused, 20 were granted asylum, and the rest were still pending a decision.

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