HATE crimes against LGBT+ people are one of the more consistently violent hate crimes causing untold harm and distress, a head of a charity has warned as figures yesterday revealed a stark rise in homophobic attacks.

Leni Morris, chief executive of the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity Galop, said there was a worrying misconception with the “narrative about anti-LGBT+ hate crime that it’s just mean tweets.”

Ms Morris said the charity had been supporting victims of hate crime who have been blackmailed, experienced sexual violence and been left with life-changing injuries.