Dawn police raids linked to domestic, homophobic and race hate crime were carried out across Lambeth on November 26.

Four Lambeth police teams visited 17 addresses in the borough, arresting eight people for offences including common assault, harassment, and ABH.

The operation was carried out to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and was part of wider police action across London.

A Lambeth police spokeswoman said the main thrust of the action was to combat violence against women, but it also focussed on combating racist, homophobic and disability motivated hate crime, and crimes against the vulnerable or older people by members of their own family and carers.

She added a further action was planned "to transfer the fear on to the offender and encourage more victims to come forward and report crimes".

These include high-visibility policing in crime hotspots, the use of specialist domestic violence and hate crime investigation cars, leafletting to raise awareness, the marketing of third party reporting sites, and work to improve the service given to disabled victims of crime.

Detective Chief Inspector Mickey Gallagher said: "We consider this is as a priority crime for the borough."

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