Question
Given recent publicity surrounding sectarian intimidation of residents in the Cregagh area of Belfast, can the Chief Constable provide an update on (i) current reporting trends of intimidation of people in their homes and businesses where there appears to be a motive based on perceived religion, sectarianism, homophobia, racism or disability and (ii) action taken by Police to deal with this issue.
Can the PSNI give an assessment of the number of reported incidents of intimidation in Northern Ireland which have, or appear to have, paramilitary connections or influence?
Response
- Please find below official statistics regarding intimidation offences recorded in the period 2016/17 – 2020/21. Figures are also provided for each hate strand. These strands have to be taken individually, and cannot be added together to create an overall ‘hate motivated’ figure for intimidation, as each offence may have had more than one hate motivation.
| Intimidation | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 |
| Total Offences | 556 | 557 | 590 | 604 | 605 |
| Hate Motivation | |||||
| Racist | 27 | 23 | 24 | 12 | 17 |
| Homophobic | 5 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Sectarian | 57 | 41 | 61 | 52 | 52 |
| Disability | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Faith/Religion | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Transexual | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Please also note that the Intimidation offence covers threats to individuals to leave their home, their occupation, or to ‘refrain from doing any act’, as well as threatening individuals to terminate providing services or employment to another person. Almost all hate motivated intimidation offences are in regards to leaving their home.
- The Police Service of Northern Ireland works in close partnership with statutory and voluntary organisations (in particular the Housing Executive and PCSPS) to reduce the incidence of such offences.
Hate Crimes continue to attract specific daily scrutiny in District and Area Management Meetings. All reports of intimidation and associated offences are fully investigated.
- There have been 105 intimidation offences recorded against occurrences which are indicated to have some form of paramilitary involvement in the last 12 months (July 2020 – July 2021).
John Blair - Alliance