The number of tourists who were victims of crime in Ireland reached its third highest level last year. New figures from the Irish Tourist Assistance Service show there were 442 incidents involving 812 people.

That is one of the highest figures ever recorded and the majority of those happened in Dublin.

Theft accounted for the most common cases, but there were also six violent crimes - including assault.

Young American women visiting the capital are one of the main targets for opportunistic thieves operating in the city centre.

According to the report, over 800 tourists from 46 different countries were subjected to some sort of crime last year.

Only last week, three men were jailed for a vicious assault on two American brothers in the Temple Bar area of rthe city in 2012.

Lisa Kennedy is head of the Irish Tourist Assistance Service. She says tourists are most vulnerable in the afternoon.