To be shocked at the police response to an assault on an eight year old boy

[lucyellensmumagain]

My DP has just come home from work and told me that his friends little boy was out with a group of friends and was assaulted by a group of 14 year olds who are known to them. They held him down, kicked him in the head and stole his mobile phone.

I asked if they got the police involved and apparently the police have told them that they can't do anything as they are minors??

That can't be right surely????

Rubbish - the police can get involved . It may be that the 8yr might be interviewed by specailist police officers but the 14yrs are old enough to be dealt with when interviewed aslong as they have an appropriate adut with them.

On the face of it the 14yr olds have commited an robbery which is a very serious offence.

I think we can't have the full story, i just cant imagine the police not taking action

I can.
My DH was getting shot at (admittedly just air rifles) in a car park, and the police never came out - even though the lads doing it were around for ages after (confident the police wouldn't come I guess).
So I didn't bother even ringing when some kids threw a football size lump of compacted ice/snow that hit the passenger window of my campervan when DD was a few months old and in the car seat next to the window. An old 70s vehicle so not strong glass. I did think that if they're not bothered when people are getting shot at, they're not likely to come out for snowballs.

That poor 8 year old - frightening.

The 8 year old is a minor, but he's also a victim and there is no age limit on being a victim.
The boys who did it aren't minors and they should be arrested, questioned and charged for it.
DO NOT take this response, tell your friend to contact the Police again and if they refuse again, ask to speak to the local Police inspector. Tell them to make a complete nuisance of themself until they do something about it.
I work with young offenders and they shouldn't be allowed to do things like this and get away with it.
Your poor friends ds, I really hope he's ok.

Tell them to take photos of any injuries the little boy has too, incase they've gone by the time the police get round to it.

oh, poor lad. And crap and downright wrong response from the cops. Do the police not understand that the thugs are 14, not the same age as the victim?

I would tell the police that I would be taking the matter up with my local MP. They are being lazy.

the age of culpability is 10 - since the james bulger thing.

so its complete horsehit

I assume that the officers they spoke to recorded the crime and gave the victims Dad a crime ref number ?

Whether they follow it up or not ( but they should) it still should have been recorded as a crime.

If the officer they spoke to has just dismmissed the matter and not recorded it as a crime then I would make a complaint. If the officer was lazy it's those types of officers that give Police a very bad name .

I don't think that can be correct (re. police involvement/minors).

Friends with similar experiences have had police response

And I've reported a mugging by minors of a neighbour myself and the police even came back informally to tell us when they tracked down the perpetrator a few weeks later.