Racist and Religious Hate Crime - Prosecution Guidance
Plain-English digest of CPS prosecution guidance.
AI-generated summary — not verbatim. This is a plain-English digest, not the official CPS text. It may omit detail or fall out of date. Do not rely on it for a charging decision — read the full guidance on cps.gov.uk and check the current legislation.
This guidance provides a framework for prosecutors handling cases classified as racist or religious hate crime. It emphasizes the necessity of flagging incidents rooted in racial or religious hostility, effective case building, and the application of relevant legislation. Special attention is devoted to the rights of victims and witnesses, as well as considerations for enhanced sentencing under the law.
Key points
- Prosecutors must be aware of public interest factors in hate crime cases.
- Incidents of hostility based on race or religion warrant serious attention and specific flagging.
- Victims of hate crimes are entitled to enhanced services under the Victims' Code.
- Prosecutors should actively seek evidence for enhancing charges under the Sentencing Act 2020.
- Special measures should be considered for vulnerable witnesses.
- Coordinators should assist in the handling of hate crime cases to ensure appropriate approaches.
Public-interest factors
- Severity of the crime
- Vulnerability of the victim
- Community impact
- Public confidence in law enforcement
- Deterrence of future hate crime
- Proportionality of prosecution vs. harm
This is a factual digest of guidance published by the Crown Prosecution Service. Digested 2026-07-15. BlueLineHub is independent and not affiliated with the CPS.