Almost one in three offenders in Glasgow go on to commit another crime within a year, according to new figures.

Official statistics show that 29.8% of offenders sentenced at Glasgow Sheriff Court are re-convicted within 12 months.

The rate is the third highest in Scotland, where overall the figure is 28.2%.

Humza Yousaf, Justice Secretary, said the number of re-offenders has been falling from around one in three to almost one in four.

The numbers for Glasgow, which is the busiest court in Scotland, means 2481 out of more than 8000 offenders are convicted of a new offence.

Only Dumbarton, Paisley and Ayr and Kilmarnock Sheriff courts have a higher rate than Glasgow.

The highest is Ayr and Kilmarnock courts which cover North, South and East Ayrshire at 30.7%

Glasgow Sheriff Court also serves parts of East Dunbartonshire, and North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire.

The lowest reconviction rate is in Orkney and Shetland where it is 16.1% and 18.5% respectively.

The lowest of the mainland courts is Moray at 19%.

Mr Yousaf said people convicted on short term prison sentences of a year or less are more likely to re-offend than those given non- custodial sentences and Community Payback Orders.

He said: “Scotland has continued to reduce the number of people who reoffend, implementing a clear focus on rehabilitation, working alongside partners in local government, the third sector and Scottish Prison Service, to help many people with convictions turn their lives around.

“Short custodial sentences often serve little purpose, and these independent figures support our work to encourage courts to consider community sentences as a robust alternative to custody – challenging and supporting men and women to tackle underlying issues behind offending behaviour.”