Hate crime soars right across the board

A Crown Office report has revealed all types of hate crime rose last year, with racism up 8 per cent, while religious hatred increased by almost a third.

Homophobic and transgender crimes, and those against people with disabilities, also rose in 2011-12.

The figures also show that in March – the first month of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act – 42 charges were brought. The act was introduced following high-profile incidents, including a bad-tempered Old Firm cup clash last season, and hoax bombs mailed to three Celtic-connected individuals.

Mr Mulholland believes the publicity generated by those cases has led to greater public awareness and has helped flush out other hate crimes.

“I don’t think society is becoming less tolerant,” he said.

“David Brand, the police officer in charge of FoCUS, the national police unit which deals with football violence, has said there has been a significant reduction in sectarian behaviour at football matches.”

As well as prosecuting bigots and introducing new laws, the Crown Office is trying to tackle sectarianism through educational projects. .

The Lord Advocate said: “I’m very much an optimist. Over time we can eradicate it. If you remember in the 1970s, racism was acceptable. I think we’ve moved forward with racism to where it’s not eradicated but it’s completely unacceptable.”

Substantive racist crimes and racial aggravators came into law in 1996, religious aggravators in 2003, with other hate crimes following in 2010. Mr Mulholland had a strong warning for people peddling internet hatred.

“If you are posting grossly offensive racist comments, pouring out hatred towards another person’s religion or disability, it’s just as criminal as if you are shouting it out on a street corner,” he said.

Campaigners believe that while awareness about sectarianism has risen in the past year, so too has the practice itself.

Dave Scott, of the antisectarianism charity Nil By Mouth, said: “I think there has been an increase in the last 12 to 18 months.

“The issue has become more public and demand for our services has never been higher.”

However, he backed action taken by the Crown Office and Mr Holland’s hopes of eradicating sectarianism.

“I think he is right,” Mr Scott said. “It will be a generational change and not something that will happen overnight.”

Politicians said the statistics laid bare the scale of the problem in Scotland. Jenny Marra, Scottish Labour’s shadow community safety minister, said: “I fear these statistics, for the first time, begin to shine a light on the true scale of hate crime in Scotland.”

Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow, added: “The overall increase in all categories is very troubling.”

Roseanna Cunningham, minister for community safety and legal affairs, said: “The small minority who think that this kind of behaviour is somehow acceptable are finding out the hard way that it isn’t.”