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Now is time to act

Having read the article and your leader regarding the instances of bullying of the 12-year- old at school, I agree with you entirely that, had it been any one of us, we would have been arrested and would probably be looking at a proportionate prison sentence - not a day off work, with pay, as punishment.

What have these bullies got to do before they are reined in? Cause life-threatening injuries?

The authorities at the school need to sort this out before such an outcome does occur.

Gerry Taylor, Newcastle Street, Swindon

What is a hate crime?

As an avid reader of the Adver I understand it is important to construct a headline to catch the reader’s attention.

Emma Smith’s piece on ‘Racist hate crime rise after Brexit’ is a case in point, particularly the comments made by the police officer who spoke on behalf of Wiltshire’s diversity and inclusion team.

According to Tamara Campe, the police “believe that hate crime is heavily under reported” and would “welcome any increase in reporting” – is that really what the police want? I would have thought that what the police and society really want is an end for the need to report any crime, hate or otherwise.

Rose Simkins of Stop Hate UK lets the cat out of the bag when she suggests that she needs more resources to “close the alleged disparity between the number of incidents happening to those being reported”. I would be most surprised if Ms Simkins didn’t believe there was a disparity – her job depends on it!

The reality is that the definition of what constitutes a hate crime, coupled with the fact that almost anyone who perceives a crime to be a ‘hate crime’ must be believed, has led to an increase in reported incidents; what Ros Simkins wants is to dilute the definition of a hate crime to a point where any and, indeed, every crime can be labelled a hate crime.

“Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on a person’s disability or perceived disability; race or perceived race; or religion or perceived religion; or sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation or transgender identity or perceived transgender identity.”

As there is no legal definition of hostility, the police and CPS use the everyday understanding of the word, which includes ill-will, spite, contempt, prejudice, unfriendliness, antagonism, resentment and dislike.

Therefore, if you dislike someone and insult them, and they feel sufficiently aggrieved to report your intemperate outburst to the police as a ‘hate crime’ the police are obliged to record the complaint as a hate crime.

Des Morgan, Caraway Drive, Swindon

Outdated appointment

The undemocratic appointment of Prince Charles as Head of Commonwealth behind closed doors earlier this year was a blow to the integrity of the institution, belittling it.

This was a chance for the member countries, most of which are republics, to throw off those neo-colonial trappings once and for all to and elect a head of state from among themselves.

The post should be opened up to a proper democratic process and demand that the Prince stands down.

The member countries can then have an election to decide who should be the first non-Royal Head of Commonwealth.

The effect of this change will be not only to free the Commonwealth from the last vestige of colonial baggage, with members having to bow and curtsey to the Royals, but also show the British people that we are no longer part of some bygone empire.

The nepotistic appointment of Charles perpetuates the myth that Britain’s monarchy still reigns over all those countries.

Unfortunately the Monarchy is still a large part of the British identity with many believing that they serve ‘Queen and country.’ However, this is no longer a healthy rallying cry.

The Royals do not stand up for their so-called subjects, many of whom are desperately trying to survive and live at or below the poverty line, through foodbanks, etc.

The vast disparity between the newly minted Duchesses parading their couture gowns and the ordinary working family is a disgrace, especially since they receive a lot of their funding from the taxpayer.

Jeff Adams, Bloomsbury, Swindon