The police have apologized for their treatment of a gender -critical football fan accused of committing a hate crime for sharing 'gender critical' messages.
Linzi Smith was shocked to be informed that the police had started an investigation into hate crime, after a colleague fan at Newcastle United had complained that transgender people would feel unsafe if they were sitting next to her.
Officers investigated Mrs. Smith, 34, after she had suggested that some transgender people suffered from mental disorders.
The football fan, who is gay, also wrote online that pro-trans activists 'wanted to leave the gay way'.
Mrs Smith was carefully interviewed by officers after they were threatened with arrest when she walked away.
The campaigner said that she was left in a 'state of terror' and 'ashamed and humiliated' by officers who investigate her case.
She said that although she felt 'really justified' by some parts of the report, she felt 'disappointed' by the actions of officers.
The Northumbria police have now admitted a shortcomings in the way in which Mrs. Smith's case was dealt with, the Telegraph reported.
Linzi Smith (photo) was examined by the police after reporting transfobe comments, including suggesting that transgender people suffer from mental illnesses
Although insisting that there was no misconduct on the part of officers, the armed forces accepted the need for more training in dealing with hate crimes.
In a letter to Mrs. Smith it said that it neither 'disputed' or lightly assumed the impact of the investigation on the football fan.
The power offered 'sincere apologies' for the handling of the case and admitted that an officer was wrong to refer to a victim of Mrs. Smith's behavior did not exist.
It wrote: “The service of the Northumbria police was not acceptable.”
Furthermore, the strength acknowledged that a greater examination of evidence was needed for hate crimes, of which reports are likely to increase.
The Newcastle United fan left her membership after the police had launched a probe after a complaint at the club (file photo)
Mrs. Smith said that Newcastle United had suspended her club membership after the police investigation.
She told the Telegraph that although she reports the police reporting that she 'guards' her, she believes that there was'So many shortcomings from so many police officers who led me to have found myself in the first place in that situation. '
The police of Northumbria said it was a case for a club and not a decision that had influenced the force.
Lord Young, the secretary -general of freedom of freedom of expression, said that he was 'delighted' by the police decision to accept the error in the probe.
But he added: “Nobody can be punished by a football club for expressing a position that is completely legitimate, not remotely hateful and with which 99 percent of the club fans agree.”
MailOnline has contacted Newcastle United for comments.
