Protest over arrest rate of children

Almost 250,000 children aged 10-17 were arrested in 2009, including almost 28,000 under 14, but only 81,500 were sentenced by a court and 5,176 were jailed.

Yesterday the Howard League for Penal Reform said the figures showed “an excessive and inappropriate use of arrest for children”.

It warned the situation could deteriorate if police and crime commissioners, which will be elected to oversee forces for the first time next year, see children as an easy target to boost arrests.

A Government spokesman said that fact an arrest did not lead to a prosecution did not mean that the arrest was unnecessary.