Prevent and Radicalisation

The current national terrorist threat level is ‘substantial’, which is defined as ‘an attack is likely’. This level has been unchanged since February 2022 and is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre and the Security Service (MI5).

For more information: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/db1452a0/LK5ttdRpFU_oP8M-NYpCfA?u=https://www.gov.uk/terrorism-national-emergency

Huddersfield Man Sentenced for Distributing Hateful Material

A man from Huddersfield who placed offensive stickers around the town has been sentenced to 27 months imprisonment at Leeds Crown Court earlier in March.

Steven Donovan pleaded guilty in February to a number of offences including stirring up racial hatred, dissemination of terrorist material and possession of a knife. He was also convicted of possessing racially inflammatory material and possession of extreme pornography.

In May 2020, a PCSO on routine patrol came across a large number of stickers and some graffiti in and around Greenhead Park in Huddersfield. The officer raised their concerns, and an investigation was launched by Counter Terrorism Policing North East. Further investigations also found that the same person had been posting and sharing extreme right wing material online.

Donovan was arrested in June 2020 and charged in August 2021.

Detective Chief Superintendent Jim Dunkerley, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) NE, said:

“Communities in West Yorkshire work tirelessly alongside agencies such as the police to ensure our towns and cities are welcoming and inclusive to people of all backgrounds. Those that seek to bring hatred to our communities and disrupt cohesion through criminal activities will be tracked down and brought before the courts. We must stand together by challenging hateful extremist attitudes and trusting our instincts by reporting concerning or suspicious behaviour to the police.”

For more information about this, please visit:

https://link.edgepilot.com/s/31a5874d/ntSv7vxIMUuF2STx1LMOQQ?u=https://www.counterterrorism.police.uk/huddersfield-man-sentenced-for-distributing-hateful-material/

Top reported crimes for our regions

To help you better identify local risks we will be including in each bulletin the top reported crimes for some of our regions. 

For information about your region use the link below, you can also drill down further into postcode areas.

The following were the most commonly reported crimes during the month of January 2023:

Blackpool  Huddersfield  Liverpool  
 Violences & sexual offences 36
Anti-social behaviour 28
Vehicle crime 8
Burglary 5
Violence & sexual offences                 648
Public order                 150 Other theft                   116 Shoplifting                    108  
Violence and sexual offences                 240 Public order           135 Vehicle crime         111 Shoplifting               105  

Some examples of public order offences.

  • rioting.
  • affray.
  • drunk and disorderly behaviour.
  • inciting racial or religious hatred.
  • assaulting emergency workers.

Antisocial behaviour is defined as ‘behaviour by a person which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to persons not of the same household as the person’ 

  • Personal antisocial behaviour is when a person targets a specific individual or group.
  • Nuisance antisocial behaviour is when a person causes trouble, annoyance or suffering to a community.
  • Environmental antisocial behaviour is when a person’s actions affect the wider environment, such as public spaces or buildings.

Statistics taken from https://link.edgepilot.com/s/215d324d/UswHx1nqLUWdn0AtBy-JqQ?u=https://www.police.uk/

Autism world acceptance week

The Autism world acceptance week yearly event runs from 27th March to the 2nd April 2023, the aim of the event is to help more people understand what autism is, as well as the ways it can affect day to day life for autistic people. The event is also a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness and acceptance of autism.

The “Light It Up Blue” campaign championed by ‘autism speaks’ set out that every April 2nd during ‘World Autism Awareness week’, people from all walks of life embrace the colour light blue.

Autism spectrum condition (ASC) is a lifelong condition that can affect a person’s social skills, such as communication and the way they interact with other people, and how they deal with sights, sounds and changes in the world around them. It is estimated that there are around 700,000 autistic people in the UK, and worldwide about one in 100 children have autism.

A person with autism may:

  • be non-verbal, or struggle to verbally communicate.
  • speak musically or hum.
  • make sounds or babble.
  • repeat words that have been heard.
  • appear to be fluent communicators but lack complete understanding.

Autism is known as an invisible disability because you cannot tell just by looking at someone that they have autism. Autism can present itself in many ways in different people and all autistic people will likely have different experiences of how ASC impacts on them.

Help and support…

The National Autistic Society have 116 volunteer-led branches and offer online community peer support, there is also a free autism services directory with online advice and guidance to find the answers and help you are looking for.

You can find ways of getting involved in the awareness week on the National autistic society website listed below, there is advice on ways to fundraise, sponsor and take part in planned walking events across the UK. You can also donate online to support the cause and raising awareness of autism.

https://link.edgepilot.com/s/dfddee1b/eLtQmTfMk0604uIG71-1Qw?u=https://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/raise-money/world-autism-acceptance-week-2023/world-autism-acceptance-week-faq.

The specialist helpline who can offer support with specific challenges on 0207 833 2299 (Monday to Friday 9am-12pm and 1-3pm)

For general enquiries you can email- [email protected]

Raising Awareness of Male Domestic Violence – Mankind 

In the vast majority of cases domestic abuse it is experienced by women and is perpetrated by men. Yet the reality is that men too can be affected by domestic violence, and in general are far less likely to come forward for help.

The Mankind Initiative is a UK organization, seeking to raise awareness of Female-to-Male domestic violence, with a view to helping more men get out of abuse relationships. The Mankind organization, was the first such organization in the UK dating back to 2001 and they’re still going strong. For further  information, advice and support  please follow the link below: 

https://link.edgepilot.com/s/8c8a1d08/sOzXykZP10edO_DcLmJN4A?u=http://www.mankind.org.uk/

https://link.edgepilot.com/s/3f6cc875/6M_xvt1trEaMj2tl4Tno4Q?u=https://mensadviceline.org.uk/male-victims/

Report Remove Tool

The NSPCC has published guidance for professionals supporting young people to report nudes shared online using the Report Remove tool. Professionals can support young people to use the tool, which can help them to take down nude or sexual images and videos. The young person can choose to access emotional support from Childline, and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) can try to remove the image or video. The guidance includes information on how professionals can talk to young people about the tool, before they need to use it

How it works

Report Remove can help to take down nude or sexual images that include at least one of the following:

  • nude or semi-nude sexual posing
  • someone nude or semi-nude touching themselves in a sexual way
  • any sexual activity involving a child
  • someone hurting someone else sexually
  • sexual activity that includes animals.

Remember, you should never view the image.

Supporting young people to take down nudes shared online

On Sunday 23 April 2023, there will be a national test of the UK Emergency Alerts service.

Emergency Alerts is a UK government service that will warn you if there’s a danger to life nearby. In an emergency, your mobile phone or tablet will receive an alert with advice about how to stay safe

The government does not need to know your phone number or location to send you an alert.

Reasons you might get an alert

You may get alerts about:

  • severe flooding
  • fires
  • extreme weather

Emergency alerts will only be sent by:

  • the emergency services
  • government departments, agencies and public bodies that deal with emergencies

What happens when you get an emergency alert

Your mobile phone or tablet may:

  • make a loud siren-like sound, even if it’s set on silent
  • vibrate
  • read out the alert

The sound and vibration will last for about 10 seconds.

An alert will include a phone number or a link to the GOV.UK website for more information.

You’ll get alerts based on your current location – not where you live or work. You do not need to turn on location services to receive alerts.

What you need to do

When you get an alert, stop what you’re doing and follow the instructions in the alert.

If you’re driving or riding when you get an alert

  • You should not read or otherwise respond to an emergency alert whilst driving or riding a motorcycle.
  • If you are driving, you should continue to drive and not respond to the noise or attempt to pick up the mobile phone and deal with the message.
  • Find somewhere safe and legal to stop before reading the message. If there is nowhere safe or legal to stop close by, and nobody else is in the vehicle to read the alert, tune into live radio and wait for bulletins until you can find somewhere safe and legal to stop.

It is illegal to use a hand-held device while driving or riding.