Rise in hate crime charges

There has been a four per cent rise in the number of charges with at least one element of hate crime in Scotland in the last year, new figures have revealed.

Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC  said Scottish prosecutors are "committed" to tackling hatred following the announcement of the latest data.

He added that the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) would take a robust approach to help victims of crime across the country.

Published today, the report for 2020-21 shows the total number of charges reported to the COPFS containing at least one element of hate crime increased by 5,525 from 2019-20.

Lord Wolffe said: "Scottish prosecutors are committed to tackling crimes motivated by hatred and prejudice.”