Sir Keir Starmer has called on police forces to be as “transparent as possible” about the ethnicity of those suspected of sex offences, following mounting pressure from Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
The Prime Minister was forced to respond after Mr Farage demanded that police disclose the backgrounds of individuals charged with rape and sexual assault. His intervention follows the Mail on Sunday’s report that two Afghan asylum seekers have been charged in connection with the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
At a press conference, Mr Farage accused police of a “cover-up” for not revealing the ethnicity or immigration status of the two men. He said the situation was “reminiscent” of speculation over the background of last year’s Southport killer, which fuelled conspiracy theories and riots across the country.
Appearing alongside Mr Farage, George Finch, the 19-year-old Reform leader of Warwickshire County Council, said he had “begged” police to release details about the men’s backgrounds. Mr Finch claimed he had been told he could not release such information himself due to concerns over “community cohesion”.
‘The public are right to feel shocked and angry’
Mr Farage’s comments prompted Downing Street to urge police to be as “transparent as possible” regarding the ethnicity of people charged with offences. The Prime Minister’s spokesman stated: “The Government has always said, and continues to say, that transparency is important.” He added that the Nuneaton case was “clearly a deeply upsetting and distressing case, which the public are right to feel shocked and angry about.”
“Our position is that all authorities, from the police up to central government, should be as transparent as possible when handling these cases,” he continued.
Mr Farage described it as “absolutely disgraceful” that police had not informed the public that the men were Afghan asylum seekers. Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, has been charged with rape, while Mohammad Kabir, also 23, faces charges of aiding and abetting an assault, strangulation and kidnapping.
The Reform leader insisted that suspects’ backgrounds should be made public in cases involving sexual assault and rape. “Our position is that all authorities, from the police up to central government, should be as transparent as possible when handling these cases,” he said.
Cover up could ’cause unrest’
He warned that withholding such details could risk a repeat of last year’s riots after three children were murdered in Southport. “What caused unrest on our streets after Southport last year was us not being told the status of the attacker,” Mr Farage said. “That led to crazy conspiracy theories spreading online.”
The murder of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed event by Axel Rudakubana last year led to riots nationwide. Conspiracy theories on social media speculated about the suspect’s immigration status, fuelling unrest. Jonathan Hall, independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, later said that failing to share basic facts had led to “dangerous fictions” which contributed to the disorder.
Warwickshire Police defended its approach in the Nuneaton case, saying: “We follow national guidance,” which does not require sharing ethnicity or immigration status. The force added: “Where relevant, sensitive information around locations, details of the crime and policing activity to catch offenders can be shared, with a warning that this is sensitive or confidential information and disclosure by those being briefed could affect future court hearings.”
Police guidance does not mention race
The Royal College of Policing issues guidance on what information should be released to media but does not mention race, ethnicity or immigration status.
Mr Finch said at the press conference he had been “begging” for information about the men’s backgrounds to be released. He said he had written to both the council’s chief executive and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper calling for immediate disclosure of their immigration status. In his letter, he warned that a perceived “cover-up” risked public disorder in Warwickshire. He added: “Having my ear to the ground locally, it is clear that there is much appetite for protests to take place across the county.”
During the press conference Mr Farage also announced the defection of Rupert Matthews, Tory police and crime commissioner for Leicestershire. The former Conservative MEP quit after forty years with the party, saying Britain needed to root out what he called the “dark heart of wokeness” from criminal justice. Mr Matthews becomes Reform UK’s first police and crime commissioner.