Tiny terrors plague cops

Jan 9 2009 by Lorraine Howard, Irvine Herald

CHILDREN as young as three and four have been caught by police committing crimes in the west of Scotland.

The two pre-school youngsters were involved in vandalism, malicious damage and malicious mischief.

They were among 33 children aged seven and under who carried out crimes in the Strathclyde Police force area.

A seven-year-old in the force’s area was recorded committing a petty assault and another a serious assault.

The shocking picture of children’s involvement in crime emerged in figures published this week that show more than 211 offences – ranging from serious assault to vandalism – were carried out across Scotland by under 8s.

According to the figures, from April 2007 to March 2008 and supplied under Freedom of Information laws, around 142 individual children under the age of eight – including four three-year-olds – were caught for a range of offences, including assault, vandalism, fire-raising, robbery, racially aggravated conduct and breach of the peace.

Other offences were more serious, with children aged six and seven recorded for racially aggravated offences, serious assault and possession of weapons.

MSP Bill Aitken, Scottish Tories’ justice spokesman, said: “These figures are a damning indictment of the state of Scottish society.

“The parents need to take more responsibility but, at the same time, these kids need to get some sort of grip on their lives, otherwise their misconduct will escalate and they will find themselves in very serious trouble down the line.

“This is further proof Scotland’s soft touch approach is not working."

Although the age of criminal responsibility in Scotland is eight, police have to record crimes even when they are committed by younger children. Many will then be reported to the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration for their own care and protection. Others are given warnings in front of their parents.