DISABLED people in Dorset are horrified at reports that they are becoming the target of abuse over benefit fraud.

A group of charities including Scope, Mencap, the National Autistic Society and the Royal National Institute for the Blind say people are targeting the disabled because the government is highlighting a supposed mass abuse of the benefits system combined with inaccurate reporting in the media.

There are fears the abuse could escalate into hate crimes.

Wendy Morrell, from Broadstone, was left with severe brain and neck injuries following an accident in 1989.

She said she was aware of an increased number of such incidents taking place.

Wendy added: “I haven’t been subjected to it myself, fortunately, but I think there are increased reports of it. It’s probably a combination of the economic climate and some of the reporting of fraud.

“As far as I understand it, with disabled benefit, it’s something like 0.05 per cent, the lowest-abused system.”

Jenny Clarke has been in a wheelchair since breaking her back in a work accident and founded Ferndown charity Woofability, which trains dogs to help disabled people get on with life.

While she has not been a victim of such abuse herself, she knows people who have.

She added: “I think it’s very sad that they’re very judgemental before they know the facts, because each person is an individual.

“There might be people claiming fraudulently, but certainly it’s not a majority.”

Jonathan Holyhead, chief executive of Dorset Blind Association, said he had not heard of any such behaviour locally.

But he added: “People need to stop and take a look at themselves. Yes, there are people out there who are claiming fraudulently, but 99.9 per cent of them are almost certainly genuinely disabled people.”