Hate Crime Third Party Reporting centres

[ArabellaScott]

Can anyone explain to me how this works?

I'm pissed off that information I gathered on reporting hate crime, including govt guidance and citizen's advice pages has now been deleted as it's 'not in the spirit'.

So. Without upsetting anyone's feelings, can someone explain how an anonymous reporter can report a 'hate crime' to a coffee shop worker and have that potentially taken to police and court, please?

Many thanks.

I don't understand why that thread was removed. @ArabellaScott I'm not on twitter We Are Fair Cop haven't tweeted about it, and it would seem to be their bag.

I suppose the Police using a local cafe for a base is not problematical. Just like the mobile Cop shops they set up from time to time. Them sign posting a like minded place for support, tea and sympathy also not a bad idea. Training people at that place on how to direct someone to places for actual help, be it the Police, DV, RSPCA, whatever. But blurring the line between civilians and the Police is wrong. This seems to step right over it.

It wasn't a police base, though, cake. It was a civilian cafe apparently asking for people to report hate crimes to them. It seems that there is some mechanism for 'third party reporting centres' for hate crimes, but I can't find info on the gov.uk site.

Also not clear if this is for hate crime or NCHIs.

Yes, sorry @ArabellaScott that's what I meant. Though thinking about it using a café as a base would be problematical if only because of a lack of privacy. Here, they essentially seem to have deputised the owner of the local greasy spoon. Which seems insane. They might as well start a thread on mumsnet and act on whatever random posted.

I'd love to know the legal basis for "third party reporting centres". Because there is no mention of them in any legislation.

And as for "non criminal hate incidents", if that is what the police are intrested in, which isn't clear... The nearest I can find to a definition is in section in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, section 60 on "Code of practice relating to non-criminal hate incidents".

The definition runs "“hate incident” means an incident or alleged incident which involves or is alleged to involve an act by a person (“the alleged perpetrator”) which is perceived by a person other than the alleged perpetrator to be motivated (wholly or partly) by hostility or prejudice towards persons with a particular characteristic."

Legislation and actions under in are based on perception now? How on earth could that be challenged in court?

hostility or prejudice towards persons with a particular characteristic

'With' rather than 'motivated by'. That's interesting wording. The wording suggests you can't be hostile even if it's not motivated by their characteristic.

Legal #BeKind.

Surely any actual crime (as opposed to hate incidents) reported via this ridiculous scheme would be instantly non-prosecutable?

If a defence lawyer heard that the victim had first gone to a third party to discuss the crime and how to report it, they would be able to easily cast doubt on the claim.

There are lots of these third party reporting centres but as far as I can see they are all hosted by support organisations for various protected characteristics. Or CAB, places like rape crisis centres and so on. So a person seeking support can report a crime to someone in an organisation they're already working with. That person has to be DBS cleared and trained in how to take a third party report.

Once the report is passed on to the police, the person at the reporting centre acts as a liaison, and can pass on further information if requested by the police and if the victim agrees. I think the aim is to eventually get the victim to pass on their contact details and identity if a prosecution is possible/likely. But if not, the report can be used by the police as information that might connect to other cases or lead to further investigations.

In principle, the idea of getting victims who are wary of the police to report to someone they feel more confident with is a good idea. Just not sure why a cafe is the right place for this.