A significant increase in the number of convictions for rape and attempted rape has been welcomed.

New figures show 125 people were found guilty of these crimes in 2014-15, compared to 89 the previous year.

Convictions for breach of the peace were up 13% from 13,731 to 15,580 in 2014-15, driven by offences with a domestic abuse element including stalking and threatening behaviour.

There has also been an 8% increase from 1057 to 1145 in the overall number of convictions for sexual offences.

A rise in the number of victims coming forward and a more consistent approach to the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences are "potential factors" behind the increase, the Scottish Government said.

Justice secretary Michael Matheson said: "This government is committed to tackling violence against women, which is why it is extremely encouraging to see more convictions for those who seek to perpetrate domestic and sexual violence.

"Our police and prosecutors are already doing important work to tackle crimes of this nature, for instance, initial feedback from Police Scotland shows a real impact in building confidence in reporting has been made by the introduction of the national rape task force.

"We want victims to have the confidence to come forward and report domestic abuse and I hope that today's figures showing a stark rise in convictions for these types of crimes will help to drive home the message that Scotland will absolutely not tolerate domestic abuse or sexual offences."

The number of convictions for non-sexual violent crime, meanwhile, dropped for the fourth year in a row.

Lord advocate Frank Mulholland QC said: "There were double the number of rape and attempted rape convictions last year than there were ten years ago.

"It is extremely encouraging that more victims have had the confidence to come forward to report these crimes.

"In recent years the Crown has set up a specialist sexual offences unit led by experienced prosecutors and we have appointed specialists to lead domestic abuse investigations, and this approach appears to have made a significant difference."

The overall number of people convicted of a crime increased by less than 1% to 106,507 in 2014-15. The average custodial sentence length, excluding life sentences, was around nine and a half months.

Rape Crisis Scotland national coordinator Sandy Brindley said: "Rape Crisis Scotland welcomes such a significant increase in the number of convictions for rape and attempted rape in Scotland.

"Rape is a very serious crime and it is vital that people can have confidence in the justice system’s response.

"The proportion of rapes prosecuted that resulted in a conviction has also risen, from 40% to 46%.

"However, it is important not to lose sight of the fact that a significant majority of rapes that are reported do not result in a conviction, or even make it to court.

"These latest figures show that there were 125 convictions for rape and attempted rape during 2014-15, however, it is important to put this in perspective - there were also a total of 1901 reports of rape and attempted rape during the same year, 1797 of these were reports of rape.

"And while today’s figures are welcome, it is still the case that the by far the highest number of not guilty and not proven verdicts are to be found in cases of rape and attempted rape."