Campaigners yesterday called for immediate action from the Scottish government after official figures showed a rise in hate crimes relating to disability and sexual orientation.

The Hate Crime in Scotland 2013-14 report shows that disability aggravated offences are up by 12 per cent on the previous year and sexual orientation aggravated crime has risen by 22 per cent.

Policy officer at the Independent Living in Scotland project Pam Duncan said the figures reveal more disabled people have been attacked, spat on and abused in the street in Scotland because they are disabled.