Racist crime prosecutions on the increase

04/12/2006

Figures released today by Derbyshire Crown Prosecution Service show that the number of perpetrators of racially and religiously aggravated crime being prosecuted in the county's courts has continued to rise.

Between April 2005 and March 2006 106 defendants were prosecuted in Derbyshire for committing a racist offence.  This represents a 76% increase from the previous years figure.

The 106 defendants were charged with a total of 139 offences.  The majority of charges prosecuted were for racially aggravated public order offences and racially aggravated assaults.

Commenting on the figures Derbyshire's Chief Crown Prosecutor Brian Gunn said "Racist and religiously aggravated crime is particularly nasty, as victims are targeted solely because of their actual or presumed racial or ethnic origins, or because of their faith.

"Every person has an equal right to be protected by the legal system.  Derbyshire CPS operates on behalf of the entire community, and as such we take this form of hate crime extremely seriously.  Prosecuting racist or religious crime remains one of our key priorities and we are committed to dealing effectively with all cases referred to us by the police.

"The figures released today reflect a year on year increase in the number of people coming forward to report a racist or religiously motivated crime.  This is a reflection, in part, of increased confidence in the criminal justice system and of efforts by minority communities, CPS and police to increase the profile of this sort of crime and to encourage victims to report it. 

"Our lawyers now work in all four of the county's police charging centres, becoming involved in cases at an earlier stage and taking responsibility for charging the defendants.  This means racially and religiously aggravated offences are being identified at an early stage by the police and CPS, who work together to build strong cases to put before the court.

"We've established three Witness Care Units in Derbyshire, each providing a tailored package of support to victims and witnesses.  These Units bring together the police and CPS to provide a single point of contact for witnesses.  The Units identify possible barriers that may prevent a witness from giving evidence or attending court, such as transport difficulties, language issues, disabilities or particular concerns such as intimidation.  Witness Care Officers co-ordinate the support and service provided to witnesses and keep them informed throughout the case.

"These measures are playing a part in encouraging the reporting of racist and religious crime, and assisting victims in seeking justice through the courts.  However we appreciate that there may still be incidents that go unreported.  I would encourage anyone who has experienced racist or religious crime to come forward and report it.  Only then can we take steps to prosecute the perpetrators and help stamp out this form of hate crime."