A hardcore of muggers are behind an alarming number of gang rapes in London, according to Scotland Yard.

There has been a group sex attack for every day of the last year - and two thirds of the suspects had convictions for theft and robbery. Half had been involved in street crime in the previous 12 months.

Most of the attackers were aged between 15 and 21, suggesting that the assaults - which mainly took place outside late at night or in the small hours - were an extension of the criminal activities of young robbers.

Scotland Yard is treating the evidence with care because it has sensitive racial overtones. It suggests a disproportionately high involvement of young black or Asian males in group sex attacks and that a high proportion of the victims are white females.

There is evidence that incidence of group rape is rising in other inner city areas of Britain, but little detailed research has been produced.

In the five-month Scotland Yard study, suspects of African/Caribbean appearance were identified in 49 per cent of attacks. A further 13 per cent were committed by men of Indian/Pakistani appearance.

However, many of the attacks occurred in areas with high ethnic minority communities and, police believe, reflected the street population and the lawless activities of a small minority of black youths, many excluded from schools and from dislocated families.

Youths from other ethnic groups, including whites, were involved in the gangs, suggesting that the attacks were linked to overall patterns of youth crime rather than simply race.

Women and girls of white/European appearance accounted for 59 per cent of victims but the sexual violence also heavily affected the black community, with 28 per cent of victims described as African/Caribbean.

About 70 per cent of victims were attacked in "outdoor locations", often near main roads.

Half the victims were under 21, with 75 per cent under 30. More than half the assaults involved three or more attackers.

Scotland Yard has been concerned for some time about "group rape", which began to rise in 2001, along with street crime. The Yard does not use the term gang rape, arguing that this falsely suggests the crime is linked to clearly-defined youth gangs.

Police believe that disrespect for women, who are often known to the attackers, and ignorance of what is "right and wrong" in sexual affairs, lie at the heart of the crime.

The difficulties for the police in securing a conviction in these cases include finding evidence to support the victims' claims, or disproving defences of consent.

However, Det Chief Insp Stuart Macleod, of the Met's Operation Sapphire, which deals with crimes of sexual violence, said: "We are in the business of encouraging people - women and, at times, men - to report rape. It is immensely difficult.

"The common sense approach is that someone would be unlikely to come forward and report rape, and go through the ordeal than can be involved, if they are not telling the truth. We start from that premise."

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As we can see the PC police won't admit this because they are scared to death of being accused of racism. I guess this is just another joy of living in a multicultural society, funny how some of you were saying yesterday immigration was good for the British people.. YEAH RIGHT!