Police recorded a soiled pair of underwear hung on a washing line as a non-crime hate incident (NCHI), it has emerged.

In September 2021, a woman complained to North Wales Police that her neighbours had “hung a very large soiled pair of underpants on their washing line” for the past two months.

The force recorded it as a hate incident because the complainant had an Italian surname and the underwear was first put on the washing line in July that year. That month, Italy defeated England on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the final of football’s European Championships.

The incident, disclosed by North Wales Police under freedom of information laws, comes as police face increasing scrutiny for their handling of “hate” incidents.

The incident summary reports: “Known offenders have hung a very large soiled pair of underpants on their washing line, they have been there for over two months.

“The IP [injured party] believes that [they] are aimed at her because she has an Italian surname and it is in regards to the football.”