Medal winner tackles hate crime

Di Lofthouse was tormented almost to the point of suicide

A disabled sportswoman has helped to launch a national scheme to encourage people to report hate crimes.

Di Lofthouse, from Harrogate, described earlier this month how she became suicidal after being targeted because of her disabilities.

After her story appeared on the BBC News website she was invited to speak at the launch of the 'True Vision' hate crime reporting pack in London.

The packs aim to encourage more people to report hate crimes.

The 45-year-old table tennis player, who won a gold medal for Britain at the Special Olympics in 1989, has mild learning disabilities and is partially sighted.

She described how threatening letters and dog faeces were put through her letterbox at her home in Harrogate.

She said being targeted because of her disability made her life a misery.

I wanted to speak out so that nobody else would have to suffer as I have had to Di Lofthouse, victim of hate crime

"We used to live by the light of the TV with the curtains drawn. If we opened the curtains people would know that we were at home," she said.

Her attackers would also wrap fishing wire around her gatepost so that she would trip over it when she left the house.

Tuesday's launch of the hate crime reporting pack was organised by Supt Paul Giannasi from the Attorney General's Office.

He said Miss Lofthouse was the perfect person to speak at the event.

"We saw the story about Di on the BBC News website and we felt she was ideal to get the message over," he said.

"It was really heart-warming and lots of people have been quite touched by her story."

The packs contain information about what hate crime is and how it can be reported to the police.

Miss Lofthouse said: "I wanted to speak out so that nobody else would have to suffer as I have had to."