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UK: Age of legal responsibility

01 March 1995

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A recent judgement by the House of Lords raised the question of the age of criminal responsibility. The case in question concerned a 12 year old boy who had been arrested on 37 occasions. In their judgement the Law Lords confirmed that there was still a presumption that young people between the ages of 10 and 14 they were not capable of committing a crime unless the presumption could be rebutted by "clear positive evidence that he knew his act was seriously wrong". Those between 14 and 18 are "minors" in law.

The age of criminal responsibility in other European countries is: Austria: 14; Belgium 18; Denmark: 15; France: 13; Germany: 14; Greece: 12; Ireland: 7; Italy: 14; Luxembourg: 18; Netherlands: 12; Norway: 15; Portugal: 16; Scotland: 8; Spain: 16; Switzerland: 7.

Police Review, 24.4.95.

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