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Convictions for rape, attempted rape and other sexual offences have increased, the latest figures from the Scottish Government indicate.

Official statistics on criminal proceedings in Scotland during 2018-19 were released on Tuesday.

Compared to the previous year, they show a 43% increase in convictions for rape and attempted rape to 152.

However, less than half of these cases brought to court result in a conviction, at a rate of 47%.

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The number of proceedings for these crimes rose by 32% to 324 throughout the year.

For sexual offences overall, there was a 9% increase in convictions to 1,215, driven by the rise in guilty verdicts for rape, attempted rape, possessing indecent images and "indecent communication".

A total of 89,733 people were "proceeded against" in Scottish criminal courts in 2018-19, a fall of 6% from the previous year.

This continues a general downward trend in court activity over the last decade.

Convictions for non-sexual violent crimes dropped by 3% to 1,781, though robbery convictions fell sharply by 12% to 361.

Attempted murder and serious assault convictions were almost unchanged at 1,172.

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The number of custodial sentences increased across most age groups for males as well as for women in their thirties.

The average length of a prison sentence was 11 months, excluding life sentences. This is a slight increase on the year before.

The number of convictions related to domestic abuse fell by 7% to 9,210, the fourth consecutive year of decline.

Discussing domestic abuse convictions, the report noted: "Levels have been declining since 2014-15 but remain 8% higher than when numbers were at their lowest of the last decade in 2010-11 (8,566 convictions).

"Their use has fallen at a similar rate this year to the overall number of convictions."

In relation to all criminal proceedings, 5% of people were acquitted on a not guilty verdict and 1% were acquitted on a not proven verdict.

Charges were found proven in 87% of cases and proceedings were dropped in 6%.

There was a 27% increase in recorded police warnings for low-level offences to 22,070.

Procurator fiscal warnings, when prosecutors choose not to take an accused person to court, decreased by 34% to 6,211.

The Criminal Proceedings in Scotland publication is based on data from Police Scotland and the Crown Office.