Autumn Leicester violence to cost police extra £1.5 million

Violent scenes on Leicester’s streets last year are expected to cost Leicestershire Police £1.5 million.

The force was put under huge strain after chaotic scenes broke out between small sections of Hindu and Muslim communities in the east of the city in September.

The news comes after Leicester city council announced that residents will be expected to pay more towards local policing through their council tax bills this year.

Mr Matthews said people living in a band D property would be paying an extra £15 a year for policing, a 5% increase, raising their annual contribution to £273.23.

A number of local officers had been deployed to help cover the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at the time, and some were recalled from the capital as a result, while extra officers had to be drafted in from other forces to help, which led to the lion's share of the cost.

Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews revealed in a budget meeting this week that the disorder had “consumed large sums of money, and continues to do so”.

A spokesperson for the PCC said the investigation into the disorder would "continue into the next financial year of 2023/24” and that the force was speaking to the Home Office about a “special grant” application to help fund it.

Mr Matthews also said at the meeting on the 1st of Febuary that he was “providing funding to help pay for the implementation of any recommendations” after the incident had been fully reviewed.

The PCC spokesperson said the costs of the violent scenes were “predominantly linked to police overtime” and to “mutual aid charges”, which are paid to other police forces who provided extra officer support during the incident.