West Midlands sees huge rise in racially and religiously aggravated offences

Racially and religiously aggravated offences in the West Midlands increased by 57% in 2021 - higher than anywhere else in England and Wales, new data shows.

Home Office statistics reveal the number of racially and religiously aggravated offences recorded by police forces in 2021, with the change from 2020.

The new police-recorded crime data for England and Wales, covers five types of offences, all of which have a specific racially or religiously motivated element defined by statute.

According to the Home Office, “these racially or religiously aggravated offences are by definition hate crimes”.

The five offences are:

– Racially or religiously aggravated assault with injury.

– Racially or religiously aggravated assault without injury.

– Racially or religiously aggravated harassment.

– Racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage.

– Racially or religiously aggravated public fear, alarm or distress.

What do the figures show for the West Midlands?

The statistics show that in the West Midlands, 5,117 racially and religiously aggravated hate crimes were recorded by the region’s police force in 2020.

This figure rose to 8,010 in 2021, an increase of 57%.

This was the biggest percentage jump out of any police force in England and Wales.

Gloucestershire had the second highest increase (45%).

With 8,010, West Midlands Police also recorded the second highest amount of racially and religiously aggravated offences in England and Wales in 2021, second only to the Metropolitan Police, which recorded 15,394 (an increse of 2% from 2020).

Of the 44 forces in England and Wales, 39 reported a rise in racially and religiously aggravated offences from 2020 to 2021, while 34 forces saw numbers last year reach a new high.

What about other forces in England and Wales?

The list reads, from left to right: name of police force; the number of racially or religiously aggravated offences recorded in 2020; the number recorded in 2021; the percentage year-on-year change.

Avon & Somerset: 1,956; 2,140; 9%

Bedfordshire: 659; 799; 21%

British Transport Police: 1,725; 1,871; 8%

Cambridgeshire: 791; 917; 16%

Cheshire: 997; 1,163; 17%

Cleveland: 631; 843; 34%

Cumbria: 376; 388; 3%

Derbyshire: 658; 520; -21%

Devon & Cornwall: 792; 845; 7%

Dorset: 467; 527; 13%

Durham: 413; 480; 16%

Dyfed-Powys: 374; 462; 24%

Essex: 1,822; 2,154; 18%

Gloucestershire: 384; 556: 45%

Greater Manchester: 4,724; 6,431; 36%

Gwent: 424; 506; 19%

Hampshire: 1,651; 1,760; 7%

Hertfordshire: 899; 929; 3%

Humberside: 924; 971; 5%

Kent: 1,465; 1,735; 18%

Lancashire: 1,322; 1,442; 9%

Leicestershire: 1,294; 1,311; 1%

Lincolnshire: 320; 316; -1%

London, City of: 70; 99; 41%

Merseyside: 1,882; 2,135; 13%

Metropolitan Police: 15,156; 15,394; 2%

Norfolk: 594; 564; -5%

North Wales: 429; 564; 31%

North Yorkshire: 410; 515; 26%

Northamptonshire: 863; 812; -6%

Northumbria: 1,461; 1,577; 8%

Nottinghamshire: 902; 954; 6%

South Wales: 1,167; 1,257; 8%

South Yorkshire: 1,572; 1,953; 24%

Staffordshire: 802; 992; 24%

Suffolk: 495; 496; 0.2%

Surrey: 1,184; 1,277; 8%

Sussex: 1,379; 1,415; 3%

Thames Valley: 1,973; 2,568; 30%

Warwickshire: 391; 462; 18%

West Mercia: 759; 1,012; 33%

West Midlands: 5,117; 8,019; 57%

West Yorkshire: 4,642; 5,334; 15%

Wiltshire: 426; 419; -2%

West Midlands Police has been contacted for a comment about the figures.

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. BirminghamWorld is Birmingham’s latest news website, championing everything that is great about our city - reporting on news, lifestyle and sport. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and keep the conversation going.