Youngest London rioter – boy aged 11 – given youth rehabilitation order

Source: Press Association

An 11-year-old boy has been given an 18-month youth rehabilitation order for stealing a bin during the recent riots.

The boy from Romford in north-east London is the youngest rioter in the capital to be prosecuted, according to Scotland Yard.

He committed the offence five days after being given a referral order for arson, criminal damage and carrying a pointed instrument in an unrelated incident.

The boy took the bin, worth £50, from Debenhams in Romford on 8 August.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/31/youngest-london-rioter-boy-11-sentenced

He committed the offence five days after being given a referral order for arson, criminal damage and carrying a pointed instrument in an unrelated incident. Youth rehabilitation order are next up for further offences

http://www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/youth-justice/courts-and-orders/disposals/youth-rehabilitation-order.htm

In other words "previous" looks to have been taken into consideration.

Can't really relate - what would the penalty in the US be for an 11 year old found guilty of arson, criminal damage and carrying an offensive weapon for example ? Can't speak for the US but carrying a Stanley knife is a definite no no here in the UK.

Say hello to Mr Stanley as some of our football firms would say.



edit to add -

The boy, who admitted burglary, was given an 18-month youth rehabilitation order and told that his local authority would dictate where he lives for the next six months.

He was already under a referral order, put in place at the same court on 3 August, for an incident in July when he cut the seats of a bus with a Stanley knife and tried to set fire to the exposed foam.

When the driver would not let him off, the boy threw a stone at the exit door of the route 174 bus and then kicked a hole in the shattered glass so he could jump out while the vehicle was still moving.

A referral order is issued when a young offender comes to court for the first time and pleads guilty.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14732986

because punishment would depend on the state in which it occurred and who/how much money the kids parents had.

Over here we don't have State and Federal offenses and money don't come into it.

If it were a poor black kid, he might be tried as an adult for armed robbery and put into prison for decades. If it were a rich white kid, under a writ of "boys will be boys", he'd maybe have to pay a small fine and be sent home with his parents.

that definately don't happen here. We've go strong laws against such discrimination.

I appreciate that some reading this might quote our Sus Law with regard to a higher probability of blacks being stopped but further investigation might also show that maybe proportionate to knife crime and drug supplying issues etc in certain areas.

nb blacks isn't an offensive term here. Its a matter of pride : helps those of African origin distinguish themselves from Asians which here are Indian Sub Continent only by origin.

I've lived in England for years. I was just talking about some of these things at a party tonight. People are shocked by private healthcare, and private prisons, I honestly don't think they can understand. It really is a different world, for all our countries have in common.

While all individuals are afforded the right to a legal defense, not all defense attorneys are equal in skill. Those more skilled are more expensive.

Tis the difference between a "youthful indiscretion" or an anti-social, juvenile delinquent.

L-

This is the UK : not the USA. To us that is an offensive remark.

Committing arson as a child is a very bad indicator.