DETAILS have been released of two racially aggravated hate crimes dealt with by North Yorkshire Police.

A report by the Crown Prosecution Service for Yorkshire and Humberside looked at the outcomes of hate crime cases heard at court between January and March 2019, where uplifted sentences have been applied.

In once North Yorkshire case, a man told two health professionals that he was a racist and "wanted to get a van and drive it into people that he did not like because of their race or their religious beliefs".

He pleaded guilty to causing racially and religious aggravated harassment, alarm or distress by using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour.

The defendant was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, uplifted from six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.

In the second case, a man who had previously been convicted of racially aggravated harassment was identified as the sender of a number of racially abusive emails to the same victim.

He also sent racially abusive emails to a police officer who had been involved with the defendant’s former case, and was arrested and charged with breaching a restraining order and racially aggravated harassment towards the police officer.

The defendant admitted both charges and was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, uplifted from nine months, and the judge also granted a 10-year restraining order in favour of the police officer, and varied the victim’s restraining order to run for a period of ten years from the date of sentencing.

Superintendent Mark Khan said: "No-one should have to live with the fear, anxiety and consequences of hate as they go to their place of work or go about their daily life.

"Each incident of hate crime leaves a deep scar on its victim, many of whom comment that the despicable language used against them or the physical assault they have been subjected to will never leave them. I hope that the sentences handed down so far in 2019 reassure victims, including our colleagues in the police and wider emergency services family, that you will be listened to and you will be taken seriously."