LONG-AWAITED hate crime laws look set to be put before the States Assembly next year, having first been discussed more than four years ago.
Home Affairs Minister Helen Miles has said that a 12-week consultation will be held this month to help shape the law with the intention of bringing “bring “draft legislation to the States Assembly before the end of 2027”.
It comes after a couple were convicted of hurling Islamophobic abuse at members of Jersey’s Muslim community. Tamara Nadine Dubois (37) and her partner Jade Clarke James Hamon (52) denied using racially motivated language in the incident outside the Jersey Islamic Centre in March, but were convicted by two Jurats and were remanded in custody until their sentencing later this year.
And, police data released under the Freedom of Information Law showed that 44 racially-motivated hate crime incidents were reported in Jersey in 2025.
Campaigners have long called for a hate crime law to bring legislation into line with the UK, warning that the lack of legal recognition leaves gaps in protection and discourages victims from coming forward.
Senator Miles said that she expected a consultation to be launched this month that would “consider whether specific hate crime legislation is indeed required, which characteristics should be protected, and whether any measures would be proportionate and workable in Jersey”.
Providing the update in response to a written question from Deputy Louise Doublet, Senator Miles outlined her intention “to bring draft legislation to the States Assembly before the end of 2027”.
Conversations around addressing the Island’s lack of bespoke legislation capable of dealing with the specificities of a hate crime have gathered pace in recent years.
Former Home Affairs Minister Mary Le Hegarat said last year that – while she had hoped there would have been “sufficient time and resources” to complete the work in the term of the previous government – the development of hate crime legislation would have to be undertaken after the 2026 election, held in June.
At the time, she said that the “very significant piece of work” would require “considerable resources” to complete.
Senator Miles told Deputy Doublet that she was “committed to bringing forward hate crime legislation that is fit for purpose and appropriate for Jersey”.
She continued: “To ensure any proposals are evidence based and reflect the needs of the Island, I intend to consult with the public, victims, community organisations, criminal justice agencies and other stakeholders.”
The minister explained that the responses to the consultation will be analysed and published, after which policy work on creating law drafting instructions will then begin.
“Provision has already been requested within the legislative drafting programme for law drafting time,” she added.
“While it is not possible to provide precise drafting timescales at this stage, my intention is to progress this work as quickly as possible and bring draft legislation to the States Assembly before the end of 2027.”
