Gay couple had faeces smeared on door as part of hate campaign
Only one in eight LGBT+ people who are victims of a hate crime report the incident to the police. (Pexels)
A gay man has opened up about a six-year long campaign of hate he and his partner endured from a neighbour, who smeared faeces on their door among other incidents.
Michael Killackey, who lives in Derby, said that their neighbour also posted a letter through their door that read: “The cure to AIDS? Kill gay people.” She also allegedly called them “paedo scum” and sent sex workers to their home.
Killackey said that he tried to complain about the incidents to police, but claimed that they did nothing, and the attacks only stopped when the neighbour moved away, according to the Daily Mail.
“I’ve been called f***king paedo scum and even been spat at. I’ve had men sent to my home for sex.”
– Michael Killackey
He spoke about his experience during a Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel meeting on Friday that involved Derbyshire Police, Derbyshire LGBT+ and Disability Direct.
‘Vile abuse’
Speaking at the event, he said: “It was just shocking. I didn’t know what to do. I have been subject to the most vile abuse imaginable.
“I’ve been called f***king paedo scum and even been spat at. I’ve had men sent to my home for sex.
“At one point, we had 17 different takeaways delivered in one night. Chinese, Indian, pizza… you name it. We just kept telling them that we didn’t order it.”
He claimed that police repeatedly dropped his complaints, and said to officers at the event: “You just don’t deal with it. I didn’t know where to go and I had this for six years.”
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He said that he was sent away and told that the neighbour had mental health issues – but added: “What about my mental health, having to put up with it?”
Killackey also said that he frequently felt alone during the period – but that with the help of Derbyshire LGBT+, he felt like his “rockets had been refuelled.”
“You just don’t deal with it. I didn’t know where to go and I had this for six years.”
– Michael Killackey
Inspector Rich Buxton of Derbyshire Police also spoke at the event, and said that – while he did not know about Michael’s case – that the police response was “disappointing.”
He said that it appeared as though the case could have been handled “far better,” and added: “I accept that hate crime has not been dealt with in the past as it is now but that is changing.”
Hate crimes in the UK
According to a poll conducted by LGBT+ charity Stonewall, one in five LGBT+ people have experienced a hate crime or incident because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Transgender people were even more likely to experience hate crimes, with two in five reporting such incidents.
“I accept that hate crime has not been dealt with in the past as it is now but that is changing.”
– Rich Buxton, Derbyshire Police
80 percent of hate crimes go unreported, with younger people particularly unlikely to go to police, according to the survey.
Last year, the UK government announced plans to increase funding to support victims of hate crimes, improve responses from authorities and implement a nationwide educational campaign about hate crimes.
The £1.5 million in funding will aim to tackle hate crimes across the UK.
