Few convictions despite rise in antisemitic crime

ANTISEMITIC crime is rising across the West Midlands in line with the national picture, research shows.

Figures suggest a 14.5 per cent increase in such hate crimes across the UK last year. It was the worst year on record with 1,078 antisemitic crimes reported, a rise from the 938 reported in 2015.

Just 89 (8.3 per cent) of these crimes resulted in a conviction.

But the data, released in a report published by the Campaign Against Antisemitism, revealed that while the total number of crimes was increasing, the 105 violent antisemitic crimes reported were a decrease on the 190 in 2015.

There were 16 such incidents reported to West Midlands Police last year, a slight increase on the 12 reported in the previous year.

Two of these were classified as violent crime, and two resulted in convictions. Elsewhere in the West Midlands, West Mercia Police recorded six incidents, while there were two reported to both Staffordshire and Gloucestershire Police.

Unsurprisingly, the force which recorded the most incidents was the Metropolitan Police, with a total of 515 incidents. There are an estimated 150,000 Jewish people living in London, compared to just 2,200 in Birmingham.

The low number of convictions elict- ed a strong response from the Campaign Against Antisemitism.

Gideon Falter, the campaign chairman, said: “In 2016, antisemitic crime grew by 14.9 per cent compared to 2015, but only half of police forces charged any of the antisemitic crimes reported to them.

“The failure to enforce is especially alarming due to the ferocity of antisemitic crime. One in ten crimes involved

The failure of police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service to protect British Jews is a betrayal Campaign Against Antisemitism

violence. The failure of police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service to protect British Jews is a betrayal.”

The report recommended that there should be “specific training and guidance on antisemitic hate crime for police officers and prosecutors”, and “the swift appointment by all police forces of a single point of contact for antisemitic hate crime with a rank of Chief Superintendent or higher.”