Mencap responds to the sentencing of three men found guilty of attacking a teenager with autism

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Mark Goldring, Mencap's chief executive, said:

"It is outrageous that these crimes have gone virtually unpunished. Such a violent and brutal attack deserves a sentence that reflects the seriousness of the crime. This sends the message that the police and the courts do not take disability hate crime seriously.

"For too long harassment and abuse of people with a learning disability has been treated as antisocial behaviour rather than as criminal behaviour. Do we have to wait for someone to die before the authorities take action?

"Hate crimes of all levels against people with a learning disability must be treated as seriously as race hate crime if cases like this are not to be repeated."

ENDS

For more information please contact Ruth Attride on 020 7696 6950 or email ruth.attride@mencap.org.uk

Notes to editors

• About Mencap

Mencap supports the 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK and their families and carers. Mencap fights to change laws and improve services and access to education, employment and leisure facilities, supporting thousands of people with a learning disability to live their lives the way they want.

We are also the largest service provider of services, information and advice for people with a learning disability across England, Northern Ireland and Wales. See http://www.mencap.org.uk/ for more information.

• About learning disability

A learning disability is caused by the way the brain develops before, during or shortly after birth. It is always lifelong and affects someone's intellectual and social development. It used to be called mental handicap but this term is outdated and offensive. Learning disability is NOT a mental illness. The term learning difficulty is often incorrectly used interchangeably with learning disability.