HATE crimes against disabled people have doubled across the Thames Valley in the past year.

Figures obtained by charity United Response show a total of 222 disability hate crimes were recorded in the region last year, compared with 108 in 2016-17.

Of these, 109 were classified as ‘violence against a person’, a category which includes assault, harassment, stalking and malicious communications.

Public order offences and sexual offences also doubled in the region, while arson and criminal damage rose from 14 to 24 cases.

Joanne Silkstone, United Response hate crime lead, said: “It beggars belief that that there are people out there who are targeting some of the Thames Valley region’s most vulnerable people and doing them harm.

“This is unacceptable and we all must do everything we can to empower those who suffer this type of appalling abuse and discrimination to speak out.

“Victims must know that they need not suffer in silence. With the right tools, we can help them to report these crimes to the police when they do experience hate crimes.”

Disability hate crimes have also surged nationally, rising by a third since 2016-17.

Thirty-two of the 43 police forces across England and Wales which responded to a Freedom of Information request from United Response recorded a total of 5,342 disability hate crimes in 2017-18 – a dramatic rise on the 4,005 offences from the previous year.

The figures were obtained ahead of this year’s National Hate Crime Awareness Week, which runs until Saturday 20 October.

United Response believes disability hate crimes are underreported despite the increase and is calling on more victims to come forward. Visit unitedresponse.org.uk.