Children, 10, take up crime

Children as young as 10 are stealing cars and taking drugs in the West Midlands, figures obtained by the Express & Star can reveal.

Today we lift the lid on shocking crime figures, which were received following a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

Figures from West Midlands Police show that a 12-year-old in Dudley was the youngest person arrested for possessing drugs in 2005 - and last year it was a 10-year-old stopped on the streets of Birmingham. In 2005 an 11-year-old was stopped in Wolverhampton and arrested for stealing a car. Last year in Birmingham, police arrested a 10-year-old who was driving a stolen car.

There has also been an alarming rise in the number of children under age of 16 caught with drugs. The figure has gone up from 264 in 2005 to 404 in 2006.

West Midlands Police says it has special teams set up to tackle youth crime and to try to educate children about the dangers of drug and car crime.

But they are fighting a wider problem in society in which youngsters are not taught to value discipline or the law.

Police spokesman Steve Garey said the force has 21 teams set up across the region to work with school children.

He said: "Across the force area we have dedicated officers who regularly go into schools to talk to youngsters about the dangers of drugs.

"In some schools police have a base on-site so they are at the point of contact for headteachers, children and parents who are concerned about a variety of issues."

Councillor Anne Millward, cabinet member for community safety in Dudley, said she was "horrified" by the figures.

She said: "I am a mother of three lads and the youngest, a 13-year-old, can't be left in charge of tidying his own bedroom, never mind driving a car.

"Through talking to the police and court officers I have heard some shocking stories.

"There was one 10-year-old Dudley boy who was in court over 40 convictions of taking a car. The court was told that he had taken the cars to drive to the shops to steal food - because he wasn't getting fed at home.

"There was also a 13-year-old girl who was caught drunk on cider and when police took her home, her mother said she knew her daughter drank and it wasn't the police's business.

"I think parents need to have stiffer penalties which affect their benefits and their wallet."

She added: "The softly, softly approach doesn't work - parents need to be held responsible for their children." Just two months ago brothers Ricky and Daniel Oakley, aged just 11 and 12, from Park Village, Wolverhampton, were among the youngest in the city to be handed Asbos, or Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, designed to combat their nuisance behaviour.

It followed around 40 allegations against the brothers including stone throwing, letting down tyres and breaking fences.

Wolverhampton tearaway Lukon Straker was just 11 when he became the country's youngest person to be slapped with an Asbo.

The New Park School pupil was jailed for the fourth time in 2005 aged just 14 following a campaign of abuse against residents in Low Hill.

In 2005 14-year-old Luciano Gambone, of Park View, Bilston, was locked up for six months after breaching his Asbo. Gambone, who once waved a blow-torch in a man's face, swore and kicked the wing mirror from a woman's car.

Earlier this month Birmingham council chiefs set up a pioneering mobile night school in a bid to bring education to youngsters, some only 12, who stay out until the early hours and are too tired to turn up for school.

Birmingham City Council's cabinet member for education Councillor Les Lawrence said: "It is worrying there are parents that adopt an attitude of out-of-sight out-of-mind.

"The bus is aimed at youngsters who only come to life after midnight. They are the sort of youngsters categorised as being out-of-control, always in trouble. Some sleep rough and are totally disengaged from the family and school environment." The single-decker mobile learning unit is equipped with computers, DJ mixing decks and other facilities to tempt youngsters and targets 12 to 18-year-olds from 10pm until 4am in deprived areas.

Peter Coates, head teacher at Wednesfield High School, said he has taken a pro-active approach to drugs and disruptive behaviour by regularly inviting police into school.

He said: "The drugs dog initiative has reduced incidents involving drugs at my school, our parents, staff and the vast majority of pupils fully support it.

"In fact it has been a real benefit to see the police in our corridors going about their work in a friendly, professional but ordinary way - I would encourage all heads to take part."

EXCLUSIVE by Cathy Spencer