INCIDENTS of racist hate crime reported to Essex police have risen by 46 per cent in the past year, figures released by the Home Office show.
But police have welcomed the news claiming the surge shows a renewed confidence from victims, who are now more likely to come forward, and a more diligent recording of crime.
Figures also show that reported rates of hate crime overall have risen by 18.9 per cent.
Assistant Chief Constable Maurice Mason said: "It has been widely acknowledged that...
