HATE CRIME YOU'VE CREATED A MONSTER

Just 270 of 7100 leads to be followed up, figures show

- CHRIS MCCALL

Officers being swamped by an 'avalanche' of reports

POLICE were swamped with thousands of anonymous complaints in the week after Scotland's controversial new hate crime law took effect, the force has confirmed.

Analysis by Police Scotland published yesterday showed just 240 crime and 30 non-crime incidents were ultimately recorded from 7152 complaints.

The force said the vast majority of complainers chose to remain anonymous when completing the online complaint form.

The legislation came into force on April 1 and prompted a backlash from critics including author JK Rowling, who expressed fears that it would curtail free speech.

The law also proved a headache for police as the simple process to record a complaint was quickly shared on social media, with thousands of pointless allegations logged as a result.

Nearly half of the complaints made online were filed on April 1.

The Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, yesterday branded the new law "a financial disaster".

Its general secretary David Kennedy said: "Officer numbers in Scotland are down by 1000. We are asked to take a proportionate response and not investigate minor crimes.

"Now we have this new law which is complicated and confusing for the public to understand, which is causing an avalanche of reports c that Police Scotland have to review, with only a handful actually being an true hate crimes.

"It's a financial disaster in the ac making and at no time was any financial provision afforded to the service when the law came into force.

"The amount of police time that is being wasted is not proportionate as to the outcome. If this continues it will have an impact on all policing"