No rise in hate crime after Brexit - but report anything you see

Boston Community Police Insp Andrew Morrice told the Boston Town Area Committee that there had been one incident reported and that a suspect was being dealt with in that case – but he said this was no more than what police would usually get.

However, Coun Stephen Woodliffe said: “I think there are incidents but I think people are worried about coming forward and I think we would be making a mistake if we thought it didn’t go on.”

Insp Morrice said he wasn’t naive enough to think there was nothing going on but that if it wasn’t reported police couldn’t deal with it.

He told the councillors that his officers had been out and about speaking to people but still hadn’t had anything reported to them.

He said: “We have had lots and lots of patrols and have been around all the shops, bars and the town centre.

“We have tried to do everything we can to reach out to people and despite reassurance and cominbed press releases it has not been reported to us.”

He encouraged people to report incidents so that it could be dealt with as soon as possible as ‘these issues have a habit of escalating’.

l Anyone who witnesses a hate crime can call police non-emergency 101 with information, or in an emergency call 999. People can also report incidents to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.