Anti-hate crime campaigners are calling for victimisation to be outlawed

Campaigners said it was "unacceptable" that in the 21st century people should be victimised just because they were viewed as being different.

The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) said hate crime has made life a misery for many disabled people in Scotland.

The nightmare for victims has included name-calling and physical threats.

Pensioners aged 65 and over were most likely to suffer.

Most volunteers who took part in the Commission's annual Disability Awareness Survey argued that harassment should be made a criminal offence.

DRC boss, Bob Benson, said: "Public opinion is strongly in favour of criminalising such behaviour.

"An overwhelming 88% of respondents in our survey felt harassment of disabled people should be made an offence."

Legal protection

Wider views on better legal protection for the disabled are now being sought - before a report is submitted to ministers.

The statistics were revealed on the day a consultation paper was launched - produced by a working group on hate crime - set up by the Scottish Executive.

Mr Benson said: "We believe that this consultation is a valuable contribution to the hate crimes debate, setting out how the law currently works as well as exploring the options for change.

"We are confident that responses to the consultation will prove very useful in advising Scottish ministers on how to tackle hate crime in Scotland."

Campaigners stressed that, in England and Wales, disabled people are to receive greater protection under the new Criminal Justice Act.