West Midlands Police have charged a man with a hate crime offence following a disturbing incident outside a Sikh temple in the Black Country.
CCTV trawl leads to charge after gurdwara incident
The alleged offence took place on Sunday, December 22, outside the Guru Nanak Gurdwara on Edward Street in West Bromwich. According to police reports, a man was seen walking past the religious building before emptying a bag containing raw meat outside.
Officers from West Midlands Police launched an investigation, which involved a lengthy review of CCTV footage from the area. This evidence gathering led to the identification and subsequent charging of a suspect.
Suspect appears in court following police action
The force has charged Tomasz Bruch, aged 42 and of no fixed address. He was charged with a hate crime offence and was due to appear at Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court on Thursday, January 15.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police issued a firm statement on the case, emphasising their stance against such behaviour. "We will not tolerate any forms of hate crime, and we will continue to bring hate crime offenders to justice," they said.
Police urge public to report hate crimes
The statement also served as a reminder to the public about the importance of reporting hate incidents. The police urged anyone who witnesses or experiences a hate crime to come forward, as it helps them understand the scale of the issue and improve prevention.
The force outlined the ways to report:
- Call 999 if you are in immediate danger, threats have been made, or a crime is in progress.
- Call 101 for non-emergency situations.
- Visit a Third-Party Reporting Centre, which are community locations where reports can be made without contacting police directly.
"Not only will this help us deal with the incident, but reporting to the police will help us understand the extent of hate crime in your local area, so we can improve how we tackle and prevent future incidences," the spokesperson added.
