Police ‘acted reasonably’ when they launched a hate crime investigation into a social media post by journalist Allison Pearson, a review has concluded.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) launched a probe into Essex Police’s actions after the Daily Telegraph columnist complained she felt ‘bullied and threatened’ when officers visited her home on Remembrance Sunday in November 2024.
News of the visit sparked a backlash, including from former Conservative prime ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, who described the incident as ‘appalling’.
The force later dropped its investigation into whether a social media post about the Hamas-Israel conflict had incited racial hatred.
The Crown Prosecution Service concluded there was no realistic prospect of conviction for the offence of stirring up racial hatred.
Yesterday Mark Hobrough, the NPCC’s hate crime lead said footage from body-worn cameras showed the investigating officer’s approach to Ms Pearson was ‘polite and carried out in an exemplary manner’.
His independent review concluded that decisions were made ‘in good-faith and without fear or favour’.
In his findings, the Gwent Chief Constable said the force ‘acted reasonably and in accordance with the Home Office Counting Rules to record a crime complaint.’
Police ‘acted reasonably’ when they launched a hate crime investigation into a social media post by journalist Allison Pearson (pictured), a review has concluded
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) launched a probe into Essex Police’s actions after officers visited the Daily Telegraph columnist’s home (Stock image)
He praised the behaviour of the officer who spoke to Ms Pearson, saying: ‘He did not become defensive or challenging and remained calm’ after the journalist ‘began to challenge the officer’s actions’.
But Ms Pearson hit back on X saying: ‘Here are the police marking their own homework in my case which was widely viewed as utterly outrageous.
‘A clear breach of my right to freedom of expression.’
A spokesperson for Essex Police said: ‘In November last year we launched an investigation into an alleged offence of inciting racial hatred relating to a social media post.
‘We acted appropriately and proportionately and investigated the matter which resulted in us taking no further action.’
