EVERY two days somebody is reporting a hate crime in Colchester.

At current rates the number of incidents in the town will have doubled in five years.

Chief Insp Elliott Judge, district commander for Colchester, told a meeting of the crime and disorder committee the problem is bigger in the town than elsewhere in Essex.

He said: "We have had probably more than most districts in the county.
“Certainly in terms of the areas which I would use to compare to Colchester, such as Basildon, Chelmsford and Southend."

He said he could not "give an answer" as to whether it was connected to the Brexit vote however, following reports of an increase in incidents after the vote, the Gazette submitted a freedom of information request to Essex Police.

We can reveal:

- During the first eight months of this year there have been 132 incidents, already more than any of the previous six years other than 2014.

- The number of incidents reported this year is just 16 less than the whole of 2014, the highest in recent times, and at current rates this year will become the highest by the end of September.

- In 2011 there were 100 incidents, this year it could reach 200 if incidents continue to be reported at their current rate.

- Less than one in six reported hate crimes have resulted in someone being charged or punished in Colchester this year.

- The number of disposals - 18 - is the lowest percentage wise in six years.

- Reported incidents of disability hate crime in Essex topped 100 in August. The highest for a complete year was 111 in 2015, which was already more than 50 per cent higher than any previous year.

- Reports of homophobic, racial and religious hate crime incidents are all predicted to be higher in 2016 than any of the previous six years and rates are almost as high already.

- There have been 183 reports in Southend, 138 in Basildon and 91 in Chelmsford so far this year.

Colchester MP Will Quince has vowed to investigate.

He said: “This is something I will take up with the Chief Constable and the Police and Crime Commissioner.

“We need more information about where it is happening and why it is happening.

“It may come down to better reporting or it may be a pure increase in the number.”

A victim and a campaigner have spoken out about their experiences in Colchester following the increase in hate crime.

Sioux Blair-Jordan, who suffers from ME and degeneration of the spine, was abused for her disability in Colchester High Street.

She said: "It is appalling. People don't consider what could be wrong if you don't look disabled.

"I carry a sheet with me and show it to people."

She believes the increase is partly down to the Government vilifying those on benefits then with people then portrayed on shows as benefit scroungers.

"It is fed down by the Government, effectively giving permission to bully us."
She also criticised the number of people being caught and punished by police.
"It is not good enough," she said.

"I was lucky with one previous incident which was taken seriously and the person got a harassment order."

Maria Wilby, who teaches English and is part of Refugee Action Colchester, was surprised by the figures and said she has found the opposite to be true when it comes to welcoming Syrians to the town.

She said: "I teach refugees and nobody has told me they have been subjected to a hate crime.

"They may have been but most of the Syrian families feel largely they have come to a lovely place.

"There have been incidents of people coming into shops and paying for their food."

She said the only problems she has heard is against the disabled "which is really shocking" pointing out the national appreciation following the Paralympics.

She said her experience is Colchester is welcoming.