A POLICE boss is speaking up for people with mental health problems who become victims of crime.

Ron Hogg, Police and Crime Commissioner for County Durham and Darlington, will be speaking at a one-day conference on the issue to be held at Ramside Hall Hotel, near Durham, tomorrow (Friday, October 17).

The summit will discuss a report by the charity Victim Support titled At Risk, Yet Dismissed.

People with mental health issues are ten times more likely to be a victim of crime than others.

“People with mental health problems need a voice and need to be heard. It’s about time we had in place a system that ensures we get the treatment of people with these problems absolutely right,” Mr Hogg said.

“There is a lot of work happening locally but we always need to be asking ourselves whether we can do more or what we can do better, with everyone’s best interests at heart.”

Mr Hogg’s office has secured Ministry of Justice funding for a mental health caseworker and development worker within victim support.