Police in Leeds issue update after holy text left damaged outside member of Sikh community's home in Headingley

On Sunday, July 16, police received a report that a holy text had been found damaged outside a Sikh community member’s address in St Anne’s Road in Headingley on Wednesday, July 12.

Police say that it was initially thought the damaged pieces of text had been put in the victim’s bin by an unknown suspect but this has been discounted after officers visited the victim to get a fuller account.

A crime has been recorded for racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident; including how the damaged text came to be left there.

Leeds District Commander, Chief Superintendent Steve Dodds said: “Any crime such as this which is perceived by the victim or any other person as being motivated by hostility or prejudice to their race or religion is treated as a hate crime, and we treat all incidents of this nature very seriously.

“It is completely unacceptable for someone to deliberately damage a holy text with the aim of causing offence to the victim as a member of the Sikh community.

“We have launched a criminal investigation led by detectives from Leeds District CID who are carrying out extensive enquiries to establish the full circumstances of this incident and to identify who is responsible.

“We fully appreciate that this incident has caused understandable concern in the local Sikh community and beyond, and we are working closely with key community representatives to reassure them and keep them updated as we progress our investigation.

“Officers from our local neighbourhood policing teams and other well-established community engagement officers will also be supporting our work to reassure the community following this incident.”

Anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in St Anne’s Road, Headingley, at any point prior to the damaged text being found at about 8.45am on Wednesday, July 12, or who has any information that could assist the investigation is asked contact Leeds District CID via 101 quoting crime reference 13230395971 or online.