Fewer than 1% of cases probed by online hate crime police unit have led to charges

FEWER than one per cent of cases probed by the first police unit dedicated to online hate crime have led to charges.

It has logged 1,851 incidents since being launched in April 2017, figures obtained under Freedom of Information laws reveal.

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Just 17 have resulted in charges, with only seven of those leading to prosecutions. Another 59 ended with cautions, harassment warnings, youth referrals, school interventions, apologies and other orders.

Tory London Assembly member Susan Hall called the Met’s online hate crime hub, launched by Mayor Sadiq Khan, “an exercise in spin over substance”.

She said: “The Mayor is failing to drive this disgusting discrimination and abuse out of our city.”

She added: “The money splurged on this project could have been used to invest in additional police officers and protect Londoners from a whole host of crimes, including hate crime offences.”

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The hub of five officers has cost more than £1million so far.

A spokesman for the Mayor said: “The Met has made huge progress in tackling all forms of hate crime but it’s clear more needs to be done.”

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