Debate over sexual crimes by children

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Children under 13 should not be prosecuted for crimes of a sexual nature, MSPs were told yesterday. Officials from children's charities and the Children's Commissioner warned that criminalising young children was not the answer to addressing disturbing behaviour. Jan McClory, assistant director of Children 1st, and Kathleen Marshall, Scotland's commissioner for children and young people, said they were not in favour of pre-teens being charged with crimes under the proposed Sexual Offences Bill. [...] Ms Marshall had previously warned that the bill would criminalise 15-year-old girls for having sex.

source: Article 'Debate over sexual crimes by children'; www.theherald.co.uk/politics/news/display.var.2465628.0.Debate_over_sexual_crimes_by_children.php; The Herald; 5 November 2008