Somerset hate crimes hit record high, rising faster than nationally
Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Oct, 06:05 · Archive
Hate crimes recorded by Avon and Somerset Police rose 11.7 per cent to 6,397 offences in 2025/26, faster than the national average of seven per cent.
Hate crime recorded by Avon and Somerset Police has reached a record high. Home Office data published on Thursday October 8 shows the force recorded 6,397 offences in 2025/26, up from 5,725 the previous year, an increase of 11.7 per cent. This rise outpaced the national figure: police across England and Wales recorded 146,825 hate crimes in the same period, up from more than 137,000 the previous year, representing a rise of around seven per cent.
Race-related offences remained by far the most common motivating factor behind hate crimes in the force area, with 4,419 incidents recorded in 2025/26, up from 3,987 a year earlier. Religious hate crime, however, saw the sharpest increase in the past financial year, rising from 357 to 544 offences, an increase of 52.4 per cent. All other categories of hate crime also rose: disability-related offences increased from 810 to 821, while hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation went up from 854 to 912.
The latest local total is the highest recorded in the dataset stretching back to 2012/13. During that 13-year period, recorded hate crime offences in Avon and Somerset have increased from 1,211 to 6,397, meaning the latest figure is more than five times higher than it was in 2012/13.
How it is being reported
- Record Somerset hate crime figures reveal sharp rise in racist offencesHate crimes recorded by Avon and Somerset Police have hit a record high, with new data showing offences increased at a faster rate than nationallySomerset County Gazette · 14 Oct, 05:00
- Record Somerset hate crime figures reveal sharp rise in racist offencesHate crimes recorded by Avon and Somerset Police have hit a record high, with new data showing offences increased at a faster rate than nationallyBridgwater Mercury · 14 Oct, 05:00
In this story: Avon and Somerset Police · Home Office · England and Wales · Somerset
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