Disability hate crime

Crime

February 8, 2018 0

Disabled people need ‘equal and fair’ hate crime laws, MPs are told

Disabled people will only be protected from online abuse when they have “equal and fair” hate crime laws, a leading disabled campaigner has told MPs. Anne Novis, chair of Inclusion London, told the Commons petitions committee that the abuse targeted at disabled people online was “just an echo” of what they experienced on the

Crime

Anne Novis on stage beside commander Mak Chishty of the Met police

January 25, 2018 0

MPs launch inquiry into online abuse of disabled people, following Katie Price petition

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Disability hate crime campaigners are to give evidence to MPs next month as part of a new inquiry into the online abuse of disabled people. The Commons petitions committee has launched the investigation following a petition set up by former model Katie Price which was signed by more than 220,000 people. Price’s petition called

Crime

November 30, 2017 0

Major law reform would help close ‘huge justice gap’ on disability hate crime

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Academics have called for a new hate crime act and other key legal reforms to address the “huge justice gap” that affects victims of disability hate crime, following a major two-year study. Researchers at the University of Sussex, led by Dr Mark Walters*, have concluded that the way the criminal justice system deals with

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Lord Thomas speaking from an ornate pulpit

November 2, 2017 0

Head of judiciary said Brexit delays will rule out vital hate crime law change

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The head of the judiciary has blamed the parliamentary logjam caused by Brexit for preventing the introduction of vital new laws that would make it easier for disability hate crime to be punished with stricter sentences. The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas, who retired last month, told the chief executive of the Crown Prosecution

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Stephen Brookes speaking at a conference

October 19, 2017 0

Second year of huge rises in disability hate crime, but causes still unclear

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The number of disability hate crimes recorded by the police rose by more than 50 per cent last year, according to new figures released by the Home Office. The rise in recorded disability hate crimes (53 per cent) was larger than for any other strand, with race hate crimes rising by more than a

Human Rights

October 19, 2017 0

Police watchdog orders force to reinvestigate treatment of autistic man

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An independent watchdog has upheld an appeal by the family of a young autistic man who say he faced discrimination and mistreatment by a police force, months after it cleared another force of similar allegations. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) concluded three months ago that there was insufficient evidence to show misconduct by

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An aerial view of a farm with outbuildings, fields and caravans

September 14, 2017 0

Modern slavery sentencing again exposes hate crime failings

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The failure of the criminal justice system to recognise and punish disability hate crime has been highlighted yet again, after nine members of the same family were jailed for modern slavery and fraud offences spanning more than 25 years. Members of the Rooney family received sentences of up to 16 years after Nottingham Crown

Crime

August 17, 2017 0

Minister told ‘alarm bells are ringing’ over disability hate crime

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Disabled campaigners have written to a government minister to warn him that “alarm bells are ringing” over the “massive discrepancies and inconsistencies” in the way the criminal justice system deals with disability hate crime prosecutions. The Disability Hate Crime Network says there is “increasing concern” over these failings. And it has asked solicitor general

Crime

July 27, 2017 0

Police force twice erased video footage before watchdog inquiries

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A police force is facing questions over its treatment of disabled people, after two reports by the independent watchdog into the way its officers dealt with young autistic men. In both reports, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation was impeded because crucial video evidence had been erased by Northamptonshire Police. Last year, the

Crime

July 20, 2017 0

Ten years on, campaigners ask again: ‘If these are not hate crimes, what are?’

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Six new cases in which disabled people have been the victims of brutal and degrading assaults have cast fresh doubt on the criminal justice system’s ability to recognise, punish and prevent disability hate crime. It is 10 years this month since journalist Katharine Quarmby and colleagues at Disability Now magazine drew public attention to

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