Indian nationals in UK face 257% spike in sexual offence convictions, highest among foreigners 

UK crime data reveals 257% spike in Indians convicted for sex crimes

Indian nationals in the UK recorded the highest increase in sexual offence convictions among all foreign nationals between 2021 and 2024, according to official data from the UK Ministry of Justice, reported by the Times of India. Convictions involving Indians surged by 257 percent, rising from 28 cases in 2021 to 100 in 2024.

This increase outpaced other foreign national groups, including Nigerians (166 percent) and Iraqis (160 percent). Sexual offences were also the most frequently recorded crimes involving Indian nationals during this period, according to a Toi report.

The UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ) clarified that the data refers to sentencing occasions rather than individual offenders. The statistics, obtained by the Centre for Migration Control through a freedom of information request, are based on records from the Police National Computer.

New immigration data from the Home Office reveals that 293 Indian nationals arrived illegally in the UK via small boats in 2024, with 206 arrivals recorded between January and June 2025. Indians comprised 15 percent of illegal arrivals at UK ports in the year ending June 2025.

During this period, Indian nationals submitted 5,474 asylum applications; around 4,000 of these were made by individuals who initially entered on legal visas, mostly student visas, about 400 came via small boats, and the remainder entered by other means.

Initial asylum decisions showed that 2,691 Indian applicants were refused, 20 were granted asylum, and the rest were awaiting decisions.

Indians also represented the largest group to gain UK citizenship and received the highest number of work and tourist visas among all nationalities in the year ending June 2025. Additionally, they were the second-largest recipients of study visas, with 98,014 granted to main applicants.