Death of Eric Michels

We have been assisting the police in their investigation of the death of Eric Michels in Chessington. One man has been charged with murder, supply of drugs and other offences involving multiple victims today.

More updates to follow.

Homophobic crime reports statistics

We share a monthly summary of homophobic crime reports in London. These are figures for incidents and offences reported to the Metropolitan Police. Also included is the sanction detection rate (SD) for these reported cases.

It should be stressed that there are large fluctuations in the monthly figures in each borough. There is evidence that there is significantly under-reporting of homophobic crimes. We are working to increase the number of reported crimes shown in these statistics by working with the police to increase public confidence in reporting.

The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) publishes statistics on all hate crimes in London on their Hate Crime Dashboard.

2018

• September
• August
• July
• June
• May
• April
• March
• February
• January

2017

• December, November, October, September, August, July, June, May, April, March, February, January

2016

• December, November, October, September, August, July, June, May, April, March, February, January

2015

• December, November, October, September, August, July, June, May, April, March, February, January

2014

• December, November, October, September, August, July, June, May, April, March, February, January

Murder of Naomi Hersi

The LGBT Advisory Group has been assisting the MPS investigation of the murder of Naomi Hersi, a transgender woman from north London. This has been a case with multiple cultural sensitivities. We have worked with Galop and TellMaMa to provide advice to assist their investigation and to help formulate their community facing strategies.

The trial at the Old Bailey concluded this week. Jesse McDonald has been found guilty of murder and perverting the course of justice. He has been sentenced to life, with a minimum of 20 years. His girlfriend, Natalia Darkowska, was also found guilty of perverting the course of justice. 

More details can be found at the MPS website.

Community Engagement Conference

The Metropolitan Police restructure: how does that affect you?

6.30 - 8.30pm, Tuesday 9th October

New Scotland Yard, Victoria Embankment, London SW1A 2JL
(Nearest tube stations: Westminster or Embankment)

What is this about?

The Metropolitan Police Service has undergone an extensive re-organisation of local policing in the last year. Thirty-two local borough police into 12 Borough Command Units (BCU). The LGBT Advisory Group is organising an evening conference to address how this re-structuring impacts policing for the LGBT+ community in London. We have invited Superintendent Martin Rolston to explain the new BCU structure and then we will open up the session for discussions. The conference will also be attended by senior management from the central MPS Community Engagement team. This will be an opportunity for the MPS hear how the new structure is currently affecting their service delivery to the LGBT+ community.

Programme
1. Introductions (10 mins)
2. The new MPS structure for local policing (Superintendent Martin
Rolston, One Met Model 2020)(20 mins)
3. Roundtable session: community concerns and suggestions (30 mins)
4. Open discussion (30 mins)

Refreshments and sandwiches will be available.

Who is this for? LGBT+ community members and stakeholders, MPS LGBT liaison personnel and LGBT+ MPS staff involved in organisational development.

 

Please register online using our online form (preferred method). 
Alternatively, register by email to communitymeeting@lgbtag.org.uk with your name, contact email, dietary and access requirements. 
For further enquiries, please call 07947160111

Central London Protests on May 9

We are working with the MPS regarding the far-right protest by a former leader of the English Defence League taking place in Whitehall on Sunday 9th May. Public order specialists in the MPS are engaging with the protest and counter-protest groups. There will be a large number of officers deployed to keep the peace. Westminster police will be proactively to reassure local businesses.

Initial plans to end the protest in front of the Twitter offices in Soho have been scrapped.

Community Engagement Conference: 6th January

6 - 9pm, Friday 6 January

Empress State Building, Empress Approach, Lillie Road, Earls Court, London SW6 1TR

What's this about?

Last year we undertook to convene an engagement meeting after the trial of Stephen Port had concluded. We cordially invite you to this extended event. Not only will you be able to voice your questions and concerns about the Port case, but you will also be briefed on an array of learning and development activities that are particularly relevant. This includes the review of GBL-related deaths, the review of unexpected death procedures, and the chemsex training and guidance programme.

As you can see from the programme below, more than 50% of the time is allocated to enabling community members to have their say. That's why the programme runs from 6-9pm including refreshments to sustain you! We recognise that Friday night may be an unusual day for the event, but until the replacement to New Scotland Yard opens in the Spring, the main conference suite at Empress State Building is heavily over subscribed.

Please pass this invitation on all the contacts in your own networks.

Please register online using our online form (preferred method). Alternatively, register by email to communitymeeting@lgbtag.org.uk with your name, contact email, dietary and access requirements. For further enquiries, please call 020 3524 0562.

Who is this for? LGBT+ community members and stakeholders, MPS LGBT liaison personnel and LGBT+ MPS staff involved in organisational development.

Programme

1. Introduction (LGBT AG co-chair Derek Lee) (5 mins) and how to become an advisor (5 mins)
2. Overview (LGBT AG member Jack Gilbert) Lilford, learning and trust and confidence (15 mins)
3. Table top syndicate discussion - what are the key concerns or questions raised by Port? Report back and discussion with Senior Investigating Officer DCI Tim Duffield. (40 mins)
4. Review of GBL-related deaths (DCI Tim Duffield) (15 mins)
5. Unexplained Death Investigations – outline of process and review (MPS DCI Rebecca Reeves or someone from the review team) (15 Mins)
6. Q&A (25 min)
7. Comfort break (10 mins)
8. Chemsex: review of internal process and consultation about LGBT+ engagement tools (DCI James Foley, AG Member Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett)(15 mins)
   Table top discussions and report back (40 mins)

• how to lower barriers for reporting crimes experienced by people before, during or after chemsex
• feedback on chemsex policy, what would public facing documents address?

9. Summing up and next steps (Derek Lee) (10 mins)

Stephen Port Trial: LGBT Advisory Group Statement

1. We hope that the successful prosecution of Stephen Port for fours murders and multiple rape and sexual assaults gives some closure to the families of the victims and to the survivors.
2. We recognise the hard work and professionalism of the homicide investigators led by Tim Duffield who has worked on these cases since October 2015. This has been a complex case with many victims. The Sapphire team has also provided excellent support to individuals who were brave enough to come forward with accounts of their experience of Port.
3. The LGBT Advisory Group provides independent advice on LGBT-related policing issues. It was set up after the nail bomb in Old Compton Street in 1999, on the same basis as the advisory group established after the inquiry into the death of Stephen Lawrence. We previously conducted a review of LGBT-related homicides in 2007.
4. We were called in to advise the investigation very rapidly upon the MPS determining a probable link between the four deaths prior to any charges. Our role is to act as a critical friend; identifying community concerns, advising on risks to community confidence, risks to community safety and on broader LGBT cultural and life experience issues, including community structures for witness reports and subsequent victim care.
5. We have also advised on engagement, organising and contributing to a series of community meetings for the MPS to hear and address the concerns of the LGBT communities in Barking & Dagenham and also across London.
6. This case is not just about the LGBT community. Social media has made it very easy for people to meet up anonymously. This presents many challenges to personal safety, and creates the potential for much wrongdoing that an individual finds hard to report.
7. The case involved a large number of victims of sexual assault culminating in the deaths of four people. This highlights the need for victims of sexual violence to have a safe channel to report their experience. We recognise that this involves very personal and sensitive issues, such as sexuality and drug use. We need to lower the barriers to allow people to report.
8. We strongly supported the MPS decision to voluntarily refer their handling of the four deaths to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). 
9. The IPCC report may take some time to be delivered, and it is right it will deal with matters of individual conduct. We welcome the admission by the police that opportunities were missed. However in the meantime it is the view of the LGBT Advisory Group that the police must demonstrate without delay a commitment to addressing any systemic or cultural issues that may have contributed to these sad events.
10. There are clearly issues to be addressed about the handling of the four cases. We will continue to work with the MPS to identify organisational learning. For example, this can include examining:

• the processes for dealing with unexplained/suspicious deaths locally and with the Homicide Command.
• whether better cultural understanding could have led to different decisions in the handling of these incidents
• how to systematically embed the use of independent advice in these processes
• reviewing other GBL-related deaths of LGBT+ people

These matters should be placed in the wider context of the consistency of the service that LGBT+ people experience from the MPS. It is our view that LGBT+ Londoners do not always receive service of the same equally high standard across all boroughs in London

We welcome other initiatives that will build trust and confidence for which we are taking a leading role. They are not linked to the homicides but are equally crucial. We have been assured that these will proceed without delay. They include:-

• A revised guidance on Chemsex, upon which we will be facilitating community input.
  
• A campaign to improve MPS organisational effectiveness in relation to LGBT- related hate incidents being developed by LGBT staff and community members.