The number of violent attacks committed by strangers has hit its highest level for at least a decade. Victims did not know their assailants in more than one million incidents last year – or two every minute. It means strangers are now responsible for half of all violent crime after the menace rose sharply under Labour. At least a fifth of those were in or near a pub or club fuelling fears that the advent of 24 hour drinking has led to more drunken attacks.