Disability hate crime prosecutions in last 7 years

Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd) asked the Attorney General, how many people have been charged with disability hate crimes in each of the last 10 years

Answered by: Mr Robert Buckland on 5 January 2015

"The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the number of defendants charged and prosecuted in cases where the offences involved disability hate crime.

The CPS defines disability hate crime as any incident which is perceived, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards a person because of their disability or perceived disability.

The CPS began identifying and monitoring disability hate crime cases from 1st April 2007 following the publication of the Hate Crime Public Policy and Prosecution Guidance in February 2007.

During each of the last seven years the numbers of defendants charged and prosecuted, in cases flagged as disability hate crime, is as follows:

2007/08 - 183

2008/09 - 393

2009/10 - 638

2010/11 - 726

2011/12 - 621

2012/13 - 640

2013/14 - 574

Data Source: CPS Management Information System

[Source: Hansard Disability:Written question - 219111

- See more at: www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/2015/january/hate-crime-prosecutions-last-7-years