Scrap recording of non-crime hate incidents, says former Supreme Court judge

Former Supreme Court judge Lord Sumption has called for an end to the recording of non-crime hate incidents by the police. “I would just abolish the whole jurisdiction,” he said. “If they want to make things crimes they should do it, but this kind of intermediate framework of grudge-bearing is just intolerable.” Lord Sumption added: “I think, as many people do, that the police have no business to be recording things that are not crimes. This particular species of activity is so badly defined that it eventually becomes a vehicle for people to visit grudges or for fanatics to try to suppress opposing views. I find that rather distasteful.” Lord Hogan-Howe, the former Metropolitan Police commissioner, has called for a review of the use of non-crime hate incidents as has Peter Fahy, the former chief constable of Greater Manchester.