Blind man joins mum of black murder victim to tackle hate crime

Jan 17 2009 by Joanne Douglas, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

ind man joins mum of black murder victim to tackle hate crime

A NEWSOME blind man is aiming to tackle disability hate crime.

David Quarmby will join the mother of Stephen Lawrence – murdered for being a black man – in a bid to raise awareness of the different types of hatred.

It is part of the Calderdale’s Stand Up To Hatred campaign with speakers tackling disability, racial and homosexual hatred.

Mr Quarmby has been the victim of disability hate crime on several occasions, including a time when someone tried to steal his guide dog.

He has been involved in disability rights issues since 1985 and equality issues and has worked for the Probation Service in Huddersfield. He is currently seconded to the National Offenders Management Service.

Mr Quarmby is the chair of the Kirklees Disability Rights Network and the Kirklees Visual Impairment Network. He is a member on the Equal Rights Committee of his union and the TUC Disability Committee.

Mr Quarmby said of the campaign: “My involvement came about from my work with the Kirklees Disability Rights Network and the steering group set up to deal with disability hate.

“From verbal and physical abuse which starts during childhood and continues into adulthood, it includes people trying to steal my guide dog.

“Once at Dewsbury Railway Station the dog was kicked down the steps and I followed.

“Incidents like that are not provoked and you don’t know what it’s about.”