Children charged with drink-fuelled crime soars

The number of children charged with alcohol-related crimes has rocketed in the Lothian and Borders, new figures reveal today.

And the number of youngsters allegedly caught in possession of illegal drugs jumped by nearly 40 per cent in only two years.

Campaigners today branded the escalating problem "alarming" and called for tougher action to tackle young criminals.

But police say operations targeting underage drinking by its Youth Action Teams and new ways of recording crimes could also be behind the steep rise.

The figures show the number of children under the age of 16 charged for criminal offences while under the influence of alcohol soared by more than 150 per cent in the past year. The kind of crimes being committed range from violence to sexual crimes and theft.

The news comes as figures also revealed that the number of juveniles charged with drug dealing actually fell for 2005/06, with 18 youths aged between 12 and 15 caught by police for supplying.

The figures, obtained by the Evening News under the Freedom of Information Act, represent a drop of almost two-thirds against the previous year when 49 school-age dealers were arrested.

Violent crime cases rose to 153 from 138 last year, but still fell short of the previous year's figure of 215, while sexual-crime charges fell by almost half from last year's total - from 90 to 48.

Campaigners said the statistics on drink and drug crime reflected trends being seen in society.

Tom Wood, chairman of the Edinburgh Drug and Alcohol Action Team, said: "I do not find these figures surprising. They reflect the increased use of drugs and alcohol among young people. It's disturbing but that is what we would expect to see. Most offences will probably be minor, such as breach of the peace, but others will involve violence and assaults while under the influence.

"That is why our priority with the action team is to tackle the problem of children using drink and drugs."

The figures show that 371 cases involving crimes related to alcohol were passed to the Children's Panel between April last year and March 2006. In the same period the previous year, 146 cases were reported and only 61 for the year before.

The number of children between eight and 15 years old allegedly caught with drugs leapt from 106 in 2004 to 145 this year.

SNP justice spokesman Kenny MacAskill said: "These figures are alarming, but also depressing, and show why we need to look at problems in the family backgrounds.

"Their offending relates as much to the environments they are growing up in as it does to any inner drive or malice on their part. But we have to recognise that many of these children come from troubled families."

In March, it was reported that the number of teenagers seeking help for drug problems had fallen to a five-year low in the city - sparking fears more are abusing alcohol instead.

Ewan Aitken, city education leader, said: "I think the reason for the rise can be partly explained by the success of the police in targeting drinking among youngsters.

"But I'm also aware that there is a serious issue over alcohol and children. Part of that has to be dealt with through education, but also through having positive adult role models. We can say what we like in schools, but if adults are spilling out of pubs and committing crimes then that is sending out the message that this behaviour is acceptable."

A police spokeswoman said: "There have been changes in the way we have recorded figures to include drugs and alcohol in reports to the panel where it may not have been mentioned before.

"There has also been proactive approaches by the Youth Actions Teams and others focusing on youth issues which may have led to more arrests. The rise may be due to a combination of these factors because, anecdotally, the number of children involved with drink and drugs remains relatively static."

A 2005 study which questioned 7000 13 and 15-year-olds in Scotland, found that a third of all 15-year-olds and 11 per cent of all 13-year-olds reported that they had used drugs in the last year.

Scotsman