Scottish Government today released the latest
statistics on Religiously Aggravated Offending in Scotland and Charges
Reported under the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening
Communications (Scotland) Act 2012.
In 2013-14, 587 charges were reported with a religious aggravation under
section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003, a 15% decrease compared
to 2012-13 and a 35% decrease since 2011-12. The report states that this may
have been influenced in the last two years by the separate use of charges under
section 1 of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications
(Scotland) Act 2012. This legislation came into force on 1 March 2012, and
criminalises religious hatred that is connected to football.
