Over 40 people have come forward in a formal complaint submitted to Warwickshire Police about hate crime against the LGBTQ+ community in the county.

Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith of Warwickshire Police was contacted by Warwickshire Pride about the way crimes have been recorded, investigated and handled against their community since 2013.

"We decided internally that we need to do something and stand up for our community," said Daniel Brown, Chair of Warwickshire Pride, a registered charity dedicated to building safe inclusive spaces and to raising awareness for the LGBTQ+ individuals.

Information has been gathered from approximately 50 cases regarding the way police have managed crimes against victims across Warwickshire.

"Warwickshire Police must acknowledge that they have an organisational problem. Then they need to investigate thoroughly the issues that face our community and find a solution that drives genuine change," Mr Brown told Nub News.

The report took over 12 months to produce with the chair leading the complaint.

"There are many more victims [not in the report] who did not want to share their full experience or come forward," he said.

When asked if violence against the LGBTQ+ community in Warwickshire has grown, Brown said "it seems to be getting worse". The complaint was prompted after the continued "poor experiences those in the community have had with the police," he added.

"This complaint has not been made lightly," a spokesperson for Warwickshire Pride said on Facebook.

"It follows years of concerns raised by members of our community, volunteers and people who have approached [us] after experiencing, homophobic, biphobic or transphobic abuse" the post ran.

Seven detailed case histories have reportedly been submitted alongside the complaint "illustrating the nature and extent of the issues being raised," it said.

"Enough is enough. LGBTQ+ people deserve to be protected, listened to and treated with dignity" the post added.

Warwickshire Police confirmed that it received a complaint today from Warwickshire Pride regarding its response to hate crime.

Superintendent Steve Flavell, of Warwickshire Police's Communities and Prevention Team, said: "Where concerns are raised about our service, it is important that we listen to them and consider them thoroughly.

"We understand the importance of trust and confidence in policing, particularly for communities who may have experienced prejudice, discrimination or hate crime. We want to reassure all communities across Warwickshire that hate crime and discrimination have no place in our county.

"Anyone who comes forward to Warwickshire police can expect to be listened to and treated with dignity, respect and compassion.

"We will continue to listen and engage with communities, and work alongside partners to challenge prejudice, build on our response to hate crime and encourage confidence in reporting to help ensure everyone can feel safer in Warwickshire."

The force said the complaint would be considered through the appropriate processes and that it would not comment further on the specific allegations while that process is ongoing.