The House was asked whether the use of the phrases ‘bloody foreigners’ and ‘get back to your own country’ counted to make a disturbance created by the defendant a racially aggravated crime.
Held: (Baroness Hale of Richmond) ‘The mischiefs attacked by the aggravated versions of these offences are racism and xenophobia. Their essence is the denial of equal respect and dignity to people who are seen as ‘other’. This is more deeply hurtful, damaging and disrespectful to the victims than the simple versions of these offences. It is also more damaging to the community as a whole, by denying acceptance to members of certain groups not for their own sake but for the sake of something they can do nothing about. This is just as true if the group is defined exclusively as it is if it is defined inclusively. ‘ Those not of British origin are a racial group for the purposes of the Act. Whether the description also involves or displays any hostility is a matter of fact in each case. Section 28(1)(a) is concerned ‘with outward manifestation of racial . . hostility’ and section 28(1)(b) with ‘the inner motivation of the offender’.
Judges:
Lord Hoffmann. Lord Hope of Craighead, Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe, Baroness Hale of Richmond, Lord Mance
Citations:
[2007] UKHL 8, Times 01-Mar-2007, [2007] 2 All ER 433, [2007] 2 WLR 280, [2007] 2 AC 62
Links:
Statutes:
Crime and Disorder Act 1998 31(1)(a), Public Order Act 1986 4
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Citing:
Appeal from – Rogers, Regina v CACD 10-Nov-2005
The defendant appealed his conviction for racially aggravated abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear or to provoke violence. He was driving his motorised scooter and came across three Spanish women. In the course of an . .
Cited – Director of Public Prosecutions v M (A Minor) Admn 25-May-2004
There was an argument over payment for food with the Turkish chef of a takeaway kebab shop during the course of which the defendant used the words ‘bloody foreigners’ and pushed the shop window causing it to crack. The justices doubted whether the . .
Cited – Attorney General’s Reference (No 4 of 2004) CACD 22-Apr-2005
The defendant was accused of having racially abused the complainant by referring to him as an ‘immigrant doctor’ before the assault. The trial judge had held that the word ‘immigrant’ was so wide in its possible application as not to be capable of . .
Cited – Regina v White CACD 14-Feb-2001
The court asked whether calling a woman an ‘African bitch’ was capable in law of demonstrating hostility towards the complainant, who came from Sierra Leone, as being a member of a racial group.
Held: The meaning of ‘racial group’ was not so . .
Doubted – Director of Public Prosecutions v Pal QBD 3-Feb-2000
The prosecutor appealed from the magistrates’ acquittal of the defendant, who was of Asian origin, and who had assaulted the victim, also of Asian origin, calling him a ‘white man’s arse-licker’ and a ‘brown Englishman’.
Held: This did not . .
Cited by:
Cited – Regina v SH CACD 3-Aug-2010
The prosecutor had appealed immediately against the judge’s withdrawal of a charge of racially aggravated use of insulting words or behaviour. The judge then ignored his obligation to continue the trial without mentioning the issue to the jury. He . .
Cited – Taiwo and Another v Olaigbe and Others SC 22-Jun-2016
The claimants had been brought here illegally to act as servants for the defendants. They were taken advantage of and abused. They made several claims, but now appealed against rejection of their claims for discrimination. The court was asked . .
Cited – Taiwo and Another v Olaigbe and Others SC 22-Jun-2016
The claimants had been brought here illegally to act as servants for the defendants. They were taken advantage of and abused. They made several claims, but now appealed against rejection of their claims for discrimination. The court was asked . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Crime
Updated: 18 July 2022; Ref: scu.249335