Publication date:
The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has published its annual statistical bulletin: ‘Cases Involving Hate Crime 2025/26’.
The bulletin captures data from the 2025/26 financial year and therefore covers the period relating to public disorder in Ballymena and elsewhere in Northern Ireland in June 2025. However, it does not include statistics relating to public disorder in Northern Ireland in June 2026.
The bulletin is set out in two parts, reflecting the two distinct definitions applied in cases involving hate crime, as recorded by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the PPS. In Part One key statistics are presented in relation to cases involving hate crime submitted to the PPS by the PSNI, while in Part Two key statistics are presented in relation to cases considered by a Prosecutor to have involved hate crime which was ‘aggravated by hostility’.
Part One: Cases Involving Hate Crime Submitted by the PSNI
- During the 2025/26 financial year, the PPS received 492 files involving hate crime. This was an increase of 103 on 2024/25 (389).
- Of the 492 files received in 2025/26, 299 (60.8%) related to racial crimes, with a further 60 files (12.2%) relating to sectarian crimes.
- The majority of files received fell into the category ‘violence against the person’ (48.0%). The number of cases involving violent offences increased by 14.0%, from 207 in 2024/25 to 236 in 2025/26.
- Prosecutorial decisions were issued in respect of 548 persons, an increase of 20.2% on 2024/25 (456).
- 17 of the 18 defendants dealt with in the Crown Court were convicted of at least one offence, while the conviction rate in the Magistrates’ and Youth Courts was 61.4%.
Part Two: Cases Considered by a PPS Prosecutor to have Involved Hate Crime which was ‘Aggravated by Hostility’
- The PPS issued 406 prosecutorial decisions in 2025/26, of which over four-fifths (88.2%) were for prosecution (334) or diversion from the courts (24). This compares with the 296 prosecutorial decisions issued in 2024/25, of which 79.4% were for prosecution (220) or diversion from the courts (15).
- The majority of the 406 decisions issued in 2025/26 related to offences which were either aggravated on the basis of race (251) or religion (96). 42 decisions related to offences aggravated on the basis of sexual orientation. The remaining decisions related to offences aggravated on the basis of disability or multiple motivations.
- All of the 19 defendants dealt with in the Crown Court in 2025/26 were convicted of at least one offence. Just over three-quarters (76.8%) of those dealt with in the Magistrates’ and Youth Courts were convicted, less than in 2024/25 (79.9%).
- Of the total of 204 defendants convicted during 2025/26, 95 were recorded as having received an enhanced sentence due to the aggravating feature of their offence(s).
The Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Herron said: “Hate crimes can have a profound impact on victims and their loved ones. These offences target individuals because of characteristics such as their race, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation, striking at the heart of their identity. These acts can have a profound impact on wider communities, creating fear and anxiety among those who should be able to live their lives free from intimidation.
“This year’s bulletin shows a further increase in files received from police involving a perception of hate crime. This is a deeply concerning trend and similar increases in hate crime have been seen across other jurisdictions in the UK.
“We treat these crimes extremely seriously and are committed to working with the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other criminal justice partners to tackle them effectively and hold perpetrators to account, where the evidence allows. This is reflected in the conviction rates for these offences, particularly in relation to cases considered by a prosecutor to have involved a hate crime which was ‘aggravated by hostility’.
“The prosecutors who deal with these cases are trained and experienced in dealing with hate crime offences. They are dedicated to working with police to build robust cases. All cases involving allegations of hate crime are handled in line with our Hate Crime Policy.
“I hope our robust approach makes it clear to offenders that there are consequences to committing these heinous crimes.
“I want to urge anyone who is a victim of hate crime to please come forward and report it to the police. We can assure victims and the wider public that where cases meet our Test for Prosecution, they are robustly prosecuted at their height using offences that provide the courts with the ability to impose strong deterrent sentences on those who are convicted.”
Notes to Editors
- The statistical information provided in this bulletin includes caseloads, prosecutorial decisions and outcomes of prosecutions at court. Figures are provided for the full 2025/26 financial year (i.e. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026) and include comparisons with the equivalent period in 2024/25.
- This summary should be read in conjunction with the explanatory notes and definitions provided.
- These are ‘Official Statistics’ as defined in Section 6 of the Statistics and Registration Services Act 2007. Statisticians from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency are seconded to the PPS and are responsible for ensuring that the statistics produced comply with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. All statistics for the current financial year have been finalised.
- You can read the PPS Hate Crime Policy on our website.
Any member of the public may comment on the report by contacting PPS as follows:
Policy and Information UnitPublic Prosecution ServiceBelfast Chambers93 Chichester StreetBelfast BT1 3JR Telephone: 02890 897100Deaf / hard of hearing (SMS): 07795 675528Email: info@ppsni.gov.uk- For Media Enquiries please contact the PPS Press Office via email on ppspressoffice@ppsni.gov.uk