Sectarian incidents double in County Derry policing district

A County Derry policing district has seen the number of sectarian incidents recorded double in comparison to the previous year.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) data published last week has shown a marked increase in both the number of racist and sectarian incidents compared with the previous year across the county.

In total, 267 sectarian incidents were recorded over the county's policing districts in 2020-21, an increase of 13% from the previous twelve months.

Sectarian crimes rose by a quarter to 210, while the number of outcomes actually decreased by 16% to 21.

The number of sectarian incidents recorded in Mid Ulster over doubled in comparison with the previous year, while in the urban setting of Derry and Strabane, the number fell.

Mid Ulster's sectarian crime figure also increased significantly, with 71 crimes recorded, up from the previous year's figure of 36.

Slight increases in sectarian incidents, crimes and outcomes were also recorded in Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

166 racist incidents were recorded by the police from July 2020 to June 2021, a 16% rise in comparison to the 2019-20 data.

Those figures translated to a total of 122 racist crimes being recorded, again a 16% increase on the previous year.

Racist outcomes, where a charge has been made, a caution issued or a penalty or sentence imposed, also saw a marked increase, with 30 recorded compared to 8 over the previous 12 months.

Causeway Coast and Glens saw the highest increase in racist incidents, with the number rising from 33 to 55, while the figure in Derry and Strabane fell by one.

Mid Ulster recorded 51 racist incidents, resulting in 32 crimes and 10 outcomes, while the number of outcomes in Derry and Strabane rose from just three to 13.

Overall, the number of homophobic incidents and outcomes has fallen over the last twelve months.

61 incidents were recorded in the three policing districts, a decrease of 14%, while the number of outcomes halved from 16 to 8. Just one more homophobic crime was recorded in 2020-21 in comparison to the previous year.

Derry and Strabane saw the biggest decrease in homophobic incidents (-17), while increases were recorded in Causeway Coast and Glens (+6) and Mid Ulster (+1).

11 more homophobic crimes were recorded in Causeway than the previous year, with three more in Mid Ulster and a decrease of 13 in Derry and Strabane.

Outcomes in Derry and Strabane also fell by 13, while there were increases in Causeway Coast and Glens (+4) and Mid Ulster (+1).

Mid Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone said the figures highlighted a need to build a respectful society.

“71 sectarian crimes and 51 racist incidents is 122 too many in total,” he said.

“It emphasises the need for everyone to work together to bring about a society which is based on respect and enriched by difference.

“It also places the responsibility on us all to look out for each other and report any criminal activity to the police."

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