New figures show cops investigated 14 youths aged 12, a total of 29 13-year-olds as well as 47 aged 14 before referring them to Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA).
Hundreds of under 18s have been reported for sex crimes in the past three years(Image: Getty Images)
Children as young as 12 are being reported to police for sexual offences in Scotland, the Sunday Mail can reveal. New figures show cops investigated 14 youths aged 12, a total of 29 13-year-olds as well as 47 aged 14 before referring them to Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA).
In the past 18 months a total of 146 children were referred to SCRA in relation to sexual crimes. The data also reveals that 415 under-18s have been dealt with for sex crimes including rape in the past three years.
We previously revealed one terrifying case where a teenage boy admitted raping a young woman at knifepoint when he was just 14 years old – making him one of the country’s youngest sex attackers.
The new data, released under freedom of information laws, showed the majority of cases since 2022 involved teenagers aged between 12 and 17. However in the years 2020/21 and 2021/22 four ten-year-old children were also referred.
Scottish Tory shadow minister for victims and community safety Sharon Dowey said: “It’s appalling and terrifying to think that children so young are committing such serious sexual offences in Scotland.
“These figures underline the need for greater education of our young people but also the dangers of the SNP’s soft-touch justice system in creating a climate where dangerous gangs are recruiting children into a life of crime.”
Scottish Labour justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill MSP added: “These figures are extremely concerning, and it is clear that things are heading in the wrong direction in Scotland.
Scottish Labour Justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill(Image: Getty Images)
“Sexual violence and domestic abuse have persistently increased across the country, with reports across sectors like education, health, and transport, of growing instances of misogynistic abuse.
“In the last decade, incidences of sexual crime have risen by 45 per cent from 10,273 to 14,892, with a staggering 60 per cent increase in rape and attempted rape during that time. We all have a part to play in challenging misogynistic behaviour and attitudes where they present themselves.
“However, it is also imperative that we free up police officers who are stuck in A&E departments and courtrooms so that they can get back to the frontline and keep our communities safe. A Scottish Labour government will be committed to reducing violence against women and girls from day one.”
We previously revealed how the teen’s terrified victim told how she feared she was going to be killed when he grabbed her as she walked out of a supermarket and dragged her to a children’s playpark. The victim, who was 16 at the time, said he forced her to remove her clothes, photographed her and then raped her.
The horror attack took place while she was on her way home from a Sainsbury’s store in Prestwick, Ayrshire, two days before Christmas in 2023. In August last year, the boy, then aged 15, appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh where he admitted carrying out the horrific and prolonged sexual attack.
The age of criminal responsibility in Scotland is 12 and children under that age cannot be charged with an offence by the police. Children alleged to have committed offences are referred to the Reporter by the police. In serious cases, a joint report is submitted to both the Procurator Fiscal and the Reporter in accordance with guidelines set out by the Lord Advocate.
The Procurator Fiscal then decides whether to retain the case or pass it on to the Reporter to deal with through the Children’s Hearings System. We also previously told how one mum hit out after her daughter’s 15-year-old rapist didn’t face criminal prosecution because he had to be legally treated as a child.
The teen, who was 14 when the attack happened, was devastated that her alleged attacker didn’t face charges in court. Instead, he was referred to therapy and was later able to join the Army.
A mum hit out after her daughter’s 15-year-old rapist didn’t face criminal prosecution(Image: Daily Record)
The case was dealt with by SCRA in agreement with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) due to his age.
The COPFS and SCRA agreement states: “No child under the age of 16 years shall be prosecuted for any offence except on the instructions of the Lord Advocate or at her instance.”
A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said:“Sexual offences involving children are among the most difficult and complex cases dealt with by prosecutors and supporting victims is a priority for COPFS. COPFS contributes to system- wide solutions to address offending behaviour in young people.
“The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child specifies that under-18s must be treated differently from adults in the justice system. Decisions are always taken in the public interest, including the interests of all children involved.”