Britain is capital of crime, says US TV channel

Tourism officials and the Home Office last night dismissed an American television report which described Britain as one of the most violent urban societies in the world where the cities were a "battleground".

Tourism officials and the Home Office last night dismissed an American television report which described Britain as one of the most violent urban societies in the world where the cities were a "battleground".

CBS news said statistics showed Britain was now more violent than the US and its people were more likely to be burgled, robbed and assaulted than Americans. The item followed reports that a 30-year-old American woman was apparently drug-raped after she bumped into a man at London's Euston station on Saturday.

CBS News anchorman Dan Rather said: "This summer, thousands of Americans will travel to Britain expecting a civilised island free from crime and ugliness. "And in many ways it is that. But now, like the US, the UK has a crime problem. And believe it or not, except for murder, theirs is worse than ours."

In the report, which was also shown on Sky News, CBS News senior European correspondent Tom Fenton said police statistics were flawed, as only one in four assaults was recorded. "The violence of soccer fans is most familiar but that is only the tip of the iceberg. The reality is the streets and shopping malls of Britain are a battleground."

A British Tourist Authority spokesman said the report was a "worrying misconception" and it would be monitoring the impact on the number of American tourists in Britain.

"We would like to assure our visitors that by using common sense and exercising the same precautions as they would at home, it is perfectly possible to have a safe and enjoyable vacation here."

This year, 4 million American tourists are expected to visit Britain. In 1998 the 2.6 million who visited London spent £1.4bn in the capital.

A statement from the London Tourist Board said the image presented was "distinctly at odds with London's reputation as one of the safest, friendliest cities in the world.

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