Disability Hate Crime Working Group

London South CPS is working hard to tackle the significant issue of disability hate crime. Disability hate crime is recognised as being heavily ‘under-reported’ in crime statistics, with disabled people lacking confidence in the criminal justice system to provide justice.

Lisa Mayne, District Crown Prosecutor, is part of a Met Police working group that meets regularly to identify ways to build confidence amongst the disabled community and to identify ways to encourage disabled victims to report incidents to the police. The group includes members from disability groups Inclusion London, Stay Safe East, Community Connex, a disability hate crime victim, as well as hate crime leads from within the Met Police.

At the last meeting in early September, all of the groups representing disabled people set out the importance of police and prosecutors increasing the level of engagement with disabled communities. The group were keen to improve education amongst the disabled community to help improve awareness of what disability hate crime is, and to identify any barriers that might be preventing disabled people from reporting crimes in the first place.

Speaking after the meeting, Lisa Mayne said: “The working group is so important in helping all those involved in tackling hate crime to really understand the barriers and obstacles that disabled people face in reporting these crimes.

“I’m determined to ensure that the groups representing disabled people in London South have faith that we will do everything in our power to prosecute disability hate crime in accordance with the Code.”

The next meeting is in December.