Exclusive

'We were not the Thought Police': Essex Police commissioner defends investigation into Telegraph journalist

17 November 2024, 13:52 | Updated: 17 November 2024, 22:39

Police Commissioner defends his force's investigation into Telegraph journalist

By Henry Moore

The Essex Police Crime Commissioner has defended his force’s investigation into journalist Allison Pearson.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Roger Hirst rejected claims his force was acting like the “thought police” as he spoke with LBC’s Lewis Goodall.

It comes after Essex Police visited Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson’s home amid an investigation into alleged incitement to racial hatred.

Writing after the police visit, Pearson said police told her she was being investigated for an alleged “non-crime hate incident” (NCHI) on social media.

However, the force said “at no stage” did it tell Pearson the investigation was for an NCHI.

Mr Hirst told Lewis Goodall: "Well, certainly we don't want thought police in this country. This is absolutely about having a free country, isn't it, really?

Read more: Labour 'set to strike Italy-style migrant deals' in new bid to stop small boat Channel crossings

Telegraph in ‘misinformation’ dispute over columnist’s story

“And there's a tension here between freedom of speech and rule of law. Both of those are absolutely core pillars of our democracy.

“I just think it's perhaps worth bearing in mind though, in my police and crime plan, we don't talk about hate crime, we talk about antisocial behaviour, we talk about drug-driven crime, we talk about violence against women and girls, we talk about neighbourhood crimes.

“But nevertheless we can't go around ignoring crimes just because it's politically sensitive. And we perhaps need to just think about how our black and Asian communities are hearing this debate.

“After all, the 1986 Public Order Act defines this as a crime. And the maximum sentence, the normal measure of crime severity is on the maximum sentence. The maximum sentence is seven years. That puts it up there well ahead of shoplifting and actually ahead of most."

Telegraph writer Allison Pearson.
Telegraph writer Allison Pearson. Picture: Getty

"It is my job to make sure that the police act evenhandedly and we will have no two-tier policing in Essex.

“Everyone's equal under the law and if there is a complaint made, then the police are duty-bound to investigate it.

“I have to say, you know, it's fairly evident, isn't it really, that it's not been treated as a high priority. It's taken a year to actually go and knock on the door. But nevertheless, this. This is something which has to be dealt with by due process.”

In a statement, Essex Police said: “Officers went to a residential address to arrange a time to do an interview with a woman about a complaint made by a member of the public.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Washington, DC, USA. 15 Apr 2017. A balloon caricature of President Donald Trump appears at the Tax March protest near the U.S. Capitol.

Buy US chlorinated chicken in return for lower tariffs, Trump tells Britain

From jeans to jet fuel and firearms to whiskey: Britain unveils lengthy list of US items facing tariffs

From jeans to jet fuel and firearms to whiskey: Britain unveils lengthy list of US items facing tariffs

Forensic investigators at Milton Keynes train station after a man was shot dead by armed police officers.

Knifeman shot dead by police in Milton Keynes after moving 'at speed' towards officers named for first time

The bodies of Andrew Searle and his wife Dawn were discovered by a neighbour.

British couple found dead in south of France home being ‘treated as murder-suicide’

Kerri Pegg, former governor of HMP Kirkham,

Prison governor denies relationship with drug boss 'Jesse Pinkman' after flip flops carrying his DNA found in her flat

Julie Goodyear as Bet Lynch. Her husband has now deleted a recent photograph of the actress which he shared in honour of her 83rd birthday on Wednesday

Julie Goodyear's husband removes rare photo of Coronation Street star after dementia diagnosis amid blacklash

The vehicle was later extinguished after the driver, covered in flames, emerged from the vehicle.

Amsterdam Dam Square car explosion sees driver engulfed in flames - just days after mass stabbing

Kanye West confirms that him and Bianca Censori have split.

Kanye West confirms split from wife Bianca Censori as rapper claims she 'tried to have me committed'

d

Pictured: US tourist arrested for sailing to remote island and leaving a can of Coke for world's most isolated tribe

The female athlete took a knee instead of competing against a transgender athlete in a fencing tournament.

Fencing row erupts as US athlete takes knee instead of competing against transgender athlete

Luton Airport

Luton Airport expansion plans approved by transport secretary despite environmental concerns

police officer uk jacket

Boy, 15, locked up after stabbing girl, 13, with sword and leaving her to die by side of motorway

The UK's charity watchdog has launched a probe into Prince Harry’s Sentebale charity

Prince Harry breaks silence as he attacks 'blatant lies' amid investigation into Sentebale charity

M5 closed in both directions after body found on motorway sparking police investigation

M5 closed in both directions after body found on motorway sparking police investigation

Lucy

Expert panel claims 'no criminal offences committed' in Lucy Letby case after bombshell new report into baby deaths

The Sentinelese are a pre-Neolithic tribe that rejects contact with the modern world

US tourist arrested for sailing to remote island and leaving a can of Coke for the world's most isolated tribe to try