CPS West Midlands: Successful Hate Crime Cases – October 2024
In October 2024, the CPS West Midlands Magistrates’ and Crown court units successfully prosecuted various hate crime cases. Below are some of the cases.
On 23 August 2024, the 35-year-old defendant from Birmingham, was arrested for domestic related matters. During his arrest he homophobically abused the arresting officer on numerous occasions. He was charged with several offences including a public order act offence which he admitted. He was sentenced on 11 October 2024 at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court to an eight-week custodial sentence which was increased to reflect the hate crime element. He was also ordered to pay compensation.
On 6 June 2024, the 34-year-old defendant of no fixed abode, was travelling on a train to Peterborough when he repeatedly racially abused another passenger. At Carlise Magistrates’ Court on 1 October 2024, he admitted the racially aggravated public order offence with which he had been charged and received an eight-week custodial sentence.
On 26 March 2024, the 43-year-old defendant from Solihull, entered a petrol station and was threatening and racially abusive towards a member of staff. He was charged with a racially aggravated public order act offence. He entered a guilty plea and was sentenced at Dudley Magistrates’ Court on 7 October 2024 and received a community order with rehabilitation requirement days which were increased to reflect the hate crime element. He was also ordered to pay compensation to the complainant.
On 7 June 2024, the 29-year-old defendant from Nuneaton, directed homophobic abuse towards a member of door staff at a licenced premise he was refused entry to. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Coventry Magistrates’ Court on 17 October 2024 to a community order. The number of unpaid work hours were increased to reflect the hate crime.
On 14 April 2024, the 51-year-old defendant from Droitwich, attended a massage parlour and caused criminal damage with a marker pen to several signs and pieces of furniture. The comments written on the items were racially abusive. The defendant was charged with one offence of racially aggravated criminal damage and was sentenced at Worcester Magistrates’ Court on 4 October 2024 to a community order which was extended by three months to reflect the hate crime element. She was also ordered to pay compensation to the complainant.
A 41-year-old Worcestershire man received a 10-month custodial sentence which was uplifted due to the racially aggravated element of the offence when he assaulted a police officer in July 2021. He pleaded guilty to the offence at Worcester Crown Court and was sentenced in October 2024.
On 3 August 2024, police responded to the violent disorders in Stoke on Trent outside mosques. A 37-year-old man was captured on CCTV being racially abusive and committing violent disorders along with other rival gangs. The incident was described by the police as being a very high level of disorder. The male pleaded guilty at Stoke Crown Court on 7 October 2024 and received a 33-month custodial sentence which was uplifted by the sentencing judge due to the racially aggravated element of the offence.