CHILDREN as young as ten have been caught breaking into homes over the past five years in Dumfries and Galloway.
Since 2018, 45 young people aged between 10 and 16 have been referred to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA). Data obtained by Scotland’s justice and social affairs magazine, 1919, through freedom of information showed that one ten-year-old and five 12-year-olds were referred, along with 12 x 13-year-olds, 13 x 14-year -olds, 11 x 15-year-olds and three 16-year-olds.
The charges levied against the young people varied from attempted housebreaking to theft by housebreaking.
The trend for referrals is going down from the peak of 419 cases across Scotland in 2018, although the 189 referrals last year was a rise from 2021.
Dumfries and Galloway is seeing a similar pattern with reaching a peak of 18 referrals in 2018, but with yearly increases since lockdown with 11 cases being referred in 2021 and 14 case referred in 2022.
When a child is referred, the SCRA then decides whether or not to refer them for a Children’s Hearing, and may decide no further action is required.
