Britain's police forces are facing mounting fury as they defy government guidance and continue recording so-called 'non-crime hate incidents' against innocent citizens, the Daily Mail can reveal.
What Are Non-Crime Hate Incidents?
These controversial records are made when someone perceives they've been targeted by hostility based on race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or transgender identity - even when no criminal offence has occurred. The records can remain on police databases for years and may appear on enhanced criminal record checks.
The Harry Miller Case
Former police officer Harry Miller, who successfully challenged the policy in Court of Appeal, expressed his outrage: "The police are behaving like a medieval guild, marking their own homework. They're creating a permanent record of unproven allegations that can destroy lives and careers."
Mr Miller's case began when police recorded a 'non-crime hate incident' against him after complaints about his gender-critical tweets. The Court of Appeal later ruled the policy unlawful, stating it disproportionately interfered with freedom of expression.
Police Resistance to Reform
Despite new College of Policing guidance requiring 'reasonably believed' consent from the subject before recording such incidents, multiple forces are resisting implementation. The Metropolitan Police has explicitly stated it will continue recording these incidents without consent in direct contradiction to the guidance.
One victim, who had a non-crime hate incident recorded against him after a neighbour dispute, told the Daily Mail: "I've never been in trouble with the police, yet now I have this permanent mark against my name for something that wasn't even a crime. It's like something from Orwell's 1984."
Campaigners Demand Action
Free speech campaigners and victims are demanding:
- Immediate cessation of non-crime hate incident recording
- Deletion of existing records where no crime occurred
- Proper parliamentary scrutiny of police recording practices
- Protection for freedom of expression as guaranteed by human rights laws
A Home Office spokesman stated: "We have been clear that the police must focus on tackling crime rather than policing lawful debate. We expect all forces to implement the College of Policing's updated guidance in full."
However, with police forces openly defying both government direction and court rulings, the battle over Britain's 'thought police' practices appears far from over.
