Black people nine times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people as police use of power rockets

Black people are nine times more likely to be stopped and searched by police than white people, according to new figures showing a huge increase in the controversial power.

Statistics released by the Home Office show the number of individual stop and searches rose by 53 per cent to almost 560,000 in England and Wales in 2019-20.

During the same period, the arrest rate fell to 13 per cent and three quarters of stops resulted in no further action.

The use of a separate power, which allows people to stop anyone in a designated area without suspicion, also rose by 35 per cent to just over 18,000 in the year to March.

Searches of all black and ethnic minority groups were four times higher than white people, the Home Office said.

But for black people the figure was 9 times higher, down slightly from 9.5 times the previous year.