The number of sexual crimes recorded by police in 2021/22 stood at 14,556, a 15 per cent increase on the previous year.

Reports of rape and attempted rape were up 10 per cent on 2020/21, while sexual assault was up 31 per cent.

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said: “Police officers and staff work tirelessly to keep our communities safe but it’s clear that a lack of resources, the loss of valuable civilian expertise and the reliance on outdated IT systems is hampering their work.

“The Justice Secretary needs to set out a new plan of action for reducing violent crime and make sure that the police have the resources to make it happen.”

The rise has been fuelled by a large increase in crimes such as cruelty to children, abductions, threats and extortion.

Scottish Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Jamie Greene MSP, said: “Violent crime has now hit its highest level during her tenure as First Minister.

“Instead of standing up for public safety, or the victims of crime, the SNP would rather wrap criminals in cotton wool by handing out free mobiles to prisoners and automatically releasing them halfway through their sentence.

“Meanwhile, our police are being left to pick up the pieces with fewer local police officers as a result of the SNP’s police merger, as well as being hit with a real-terms cut to their capital budget.

“People across Scotland deserve to know that their streets are safe. The Scottish Conservatives will crack down on violent crime by boosting police numbers in our communities and getting tough on violent criminals with harsher sentences.”