Under-10s accused of rape, burglary, theft, vandalism and assault
11:00am Monday 28th January 2013 in Local
CHILDREN under the age of 10 have been accused of committing more than 130 crimes in Bolton — including claims an eight-year-old committed a rape — in the last three years.
The figures also reveal children as young as four have reportedly vandalised cars.
Crimes reportedly committed by children in Bolton also include assault, burglary, theft, racially or religiously aggravated assault and public order offences and shoplifting.
In total there were 132 crimes said to have been committed by children under 10, according to figures obtained by The Bolton News under freedom of information laws.
The most common crime was assault, of which there were 32 reported incidents, including nine in which the victim was injured.
Next highest was damage to a vehicle, with 29 incidents, while there were 16 reports of shoplifting and 15 of racially or religiously aggravated public order offences.
Police say some of these incidents are “very minor”, but figures look high because of how offences are recorded.
Children under 10 are not criminally responsible in the eyes of the law, and cannot be prosecuted.
Det Insp Michael Sanderson, who works in Bolton’s public protection investigation unit dealing with child protection and sexual crimes, said: “We work with social services and help to educate them and the parents.
“It could be that children are behaving inappropriately because of something they have been exposed to at home.
“These children could be from neglectful backgrounds and are victims themselves.”
He said minor offences which would not have been recorded in the past are now logged.
Det Insp Sanderson said: “Two children aged six could push each other in the playground — that would be recorded as a crime.
“So figures may look high but actually it is no different — just being recorded differently.”
Bolton Council’s social services department can become involved to support families if it is thought problems at home may be at the root of a child’s criminal behaviour.
A council spokesman said: “Depending upon the needs of the child, the police or the courts can refer them to the council, which assesses the child and family and decides what actions are necessary.
“We work closely with partner organisations to support the children and their families using a wide range of initiatives which aim to reduce the likelihood of reoffending.”
The Howard League for Penal Reform is a national charity campaigning for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.
It wants to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility and ensure that society engages with the child behind the crime.
Campaign director Andrew Neilson said: “These figures are obviously of concern. But we should keep in perspective that numbers alone perhaps do not reflect what may be very minor misdemeanours by small children, who know no better, where the police have become involved most likely because they have happened in public.
“If small children are finding themselves in contact with the criminal justice system, particularly in the most serious cases, it is important that we do not see this as a crime but as the welfare issue that it almost certainly is.
“It should be an opportunity for children’s services and other relevant agencies to engage in finding out whether there are underlying problems.”
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Comments (23)
9:28am Mon 28 Jan 13
exiled says...
10:26am Mon 28 Jan 13
oftbewildered2 says...
11:59am Mon 28 Jan 13
BWFC1988 says...
12:09pm Mon 28 Jan 13
chris25 says...
12:29pm Mon 28 Jan 13
zoomzam says...
12:38pm Mon 28 Jan 13
berushka says...
2:00pm Mon 28 Jan 13
boltonnut says...
3:08pm Mon 28 Jan 13
davoovad says...
4:19pm Mon 28 Jan 13
zoomzam says...
sadly among the real proletariat fathers go amiss frequently and hardly any have a religious education or attend Sunday Churches. (all I see on Sundays are Africans in front of Churches. To keep Christianity flourishing they are being allowed en masse to enter the UK...have no doubt about that. Check the statistics...increas
e in Church -goers and increase in African migration. Hardly any are Professionals who come on work visas. Tell me how can different fathers have any influence on children in the keep of one mother? Maybe the keeper of civilized moral values (Cameron/Blair/Obama
/whoever needs to re-**** the meaning of civilized behavior. No? There are serious problems of crime, assault/rape/thugger
y. In these Economic times in the North there are serious issues that need to be addressed. The country is broke and answers will have to be found before we are all doomed like the Greeks!
4:20pm Mon 28 Jan 13
MarkAllRead says...
5:02pm Mon 28 Jan 13
Sirrius7 says...
5:41pm Mon 28 Jan 13
davoovad says...
5:42pm Mon 28 Jan 13
Janch1 says...
5:44pm Mon 28 Jan 13
davoovad says...
9:20pm Mon 28 Jan 13
colournature says...
i was abused when i refused to serve people who didnt look old enough and then their PARENTS would come in hurning abuse at me too --- so i left
education --- lack of
2:15am Tue 29 Jan 13
Andyroost says...
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
8:55am Tue 29 Jan 13
Hough64 says...
9:36am Tue 29 Jan 13
oftbewildered2 says...
10:39am Tue 29 Jan 13
zoomzam says...
on you can get out of this country attitude". Wish some of these who advocate such attitudes would try and realise that Asians have good values and morals from which the indigenous people can learn from. Instead of talking about Mosques and places like that in a negative sense you need to learn about family values, educating children, teaching them respect...all these are taught by Asian parents and religious teachers at Mosques and Temples. Sure, some Asian kids have been influenced by drugs and alcohol. Some grow up and commit fraud. But these things are not common practices. There is good and bad in everyone and in every race. But when someone tries to tell me that binge drinking is part of a culture...you can keep it! If you talk about places of historical interest like Museums or about good English cuisine or supporting local football teams or reading Shakespeare...then you are talking. You cannot just dismiss the religion of Islam as an evil. Contrary to what you read in the media...it is a religion of peace. It is the fastest growing religion in the World.If it is not for Muslim countries in the Middle East buying UK products do you realise that thousands of jobs would go in places like BAE? What some want is have a Little Englander attitude. The World is increasingly globalized. Migrants will cross borders. You need to trade with all. You need to live with all types of races.You need to realise that in 50 years time there will be a massive "coloured" (mixed race) population in the UK. You cannot isolate yourself. Those days are gone. Learn to be tolerant. We need to learn from each other.And soon Romanians and Bulgarians will come.........
3:48pm Tue 29 Jan 13
davoovad says...
You are wrong about the in 50 years time scenario as well, there will be a civil war long before then and you people will do very badly...i'd think about going back to your mother country if i were you.!
4:28pm Tue 29 Jan 13
zoomzam says...
4:59pm Tue 29 Jan 13
Andyroost says...
5:46pm Tue 29 Jan 13
davoovad says...