British police have been told they can release details of a suspect’s ethnicity and nationality in high-profile and sensitive cases to prevent false information being spread on social media.

Last year, Britain was rocked by days of rioting after the murder of three young girls in Southport after misinformation spread online that the teenage suspect was a migrant.

The issue has remained highly contentious since, with the populist Reform UK party, which is leading in opinion polls, last week accusing police of covering up the immigration status of suspects involved in the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in central England.

That incident had led to anti-immigration protests after the Reform leader of the local council said the suspects were asylum seekers, while police said they could not give out such information because of existing guidance which limited details that could be shared to ensure people received a fair trial.

Under new guidelines from the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing, police forces will now be encouraged to disclose details “to reduce the risk to public safety” and where misinformation was being spread.

“We have to make sure our processes are fit for purpose in an age of social media speculation and where information can travel incredibly quickly across a wide range of channels,” said Deputy Chief Constable Sam de Reya.

“Disinformation and incorrect narratives can take hold in a vacuum. It is good police work for us to fill this vacuum with the facts about issues of wider public interest.”

A Home Office (interior ministry) spokesperson said they supported the change and would authorise the release of any relevant immigration information in future cases where it was appropriate.