LONDON DAILY ARCHIVE
Essex Police Closes Hate Crime Investigation Against Columnist Allison Pearson
Charges dropped due to insufficient evidence, calls for internal review
22 November 2024 · 15:05 UTC
Following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the decision was made because there was no reasonable chance of securing a conviction.
Pearson had been visited by police at her Essex home on Remembrance Sunday, regarding allegations of a hate crime linked to a now-deleted tweet that accused people of colour of antisemitism.
The tweet concerned a photograph from Manchester, inaccurately insinuating the individuals were antisemitic based on a misunderstanding of their flag.
The CPS found insufficient evidence of intent to incite racial hatred.
Essex Police has asked for a review of the handling of the case by Gwent Police Chief Constable Mark Hobrough.
Pearson maintains her criticism was aimed at perceived police double standards, not racial incitement.