Hate crime prosecutions to be fast-tracked after antisemitic attacks

Hate crime prosecutions are to be fast-tracked following a spate of recent antisemitic incidents, the director of public prosecutions has confirmed.

Stephen Parkinson has issued instructions to prosecutors in England and Wales, saying more needed to be done to clamp down on "daily incidents affecting the Jewish community, involving threats and abuse designed to cause fear and distress".

Parkinson said charges needed to be brought more quickly because it "is important law enforcement steps up and recognises we are in a period of crisis for the Jewish community" .

It comes after two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green, and a number of arson incidents in areas with large Jewish communities.

The head of the Crown Prosecution Service said he had urged prosecutors to make a charging decision as soon as they have seen the "core evidence" in order to speed up the process, rather than delaying to "present a perfect case".

He continued: "If we can strengthen the case thereafter, we can do so - but it's important that the Jewish community sees and has confidence we will take action."

Parkinson told the BBC that there were 139,000 suspected hate crime incidents recorded by the police in the last year, but a much smaller number result in criminal charges being issued.

The Crown Prosecution Service said 658 cases flagged as religious hate crimes were prosecuted in the year to September 2025. Almost four fifths resulted in a conviction.

There were 11,140 cases of racial hate crime in the same period, with a conviction rate of 85.2%.

Parkinson said the number of hate crimes has risen in recent years, and there is evidence that a high-profile antisemitic incident leads to a rise in the number of offences.

He added: "I've had reported to me today an increase in instances over the last weekend, and that seems to be the pattern.

"We're starting to record specifically crimes of antisemitism, and indeed against the Muslim community, so we can chart specifically the impact on different communities."

Asked why only a small percentage of cases make it to court, Parkinson said one of the reasons was "victim attrition" - when someone impacted by crime decides not to engage with the justice process.

He continued: "Reports are made but victims are just not prepared to stay with the process for reasons that are entirely understandable, including the delays that they experience in the justice system