New powers to target 'untouchables'

Children as young as 10 who have become prolific criminals are more likely to be taken away from their families under tough new plans revealed today.

Home Secretary David Blunkett says he wants to expand the use of care orders and will take convicted 10- and 11-year-olds into protective custody where family control has broken down.

He has been moved to take this extraordinary step after hearing of an 11-year-old Cardiff boy who faces almost 70 criminal charges.

Speaking at a conference on youth crime in London, Mr Blunkett said cases like that were "an indictment of the system that we run that they are out there doing it again and again".

He continued: "I am working with the Department of Health on the expansion of the operation of care orders and the way in which protective custody can be used where family has broken down and where the community has not been able to intervene and professional services have not been able to stop continuing misbehaviour."

The move means 10- and 11-yearolds who have become habitual robbers or car criminals will be put in foster care or children's homes while their cases are going through the courts.

At the moment, they are too young to be remanded in custody unless they have committed the gravest crimes such as murder or rape. Details of the latest initiative come as the Government is under intense pressure to combat street robbery, which has soared to more than 5,500 offences a month in London.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens revealed today that the culture of youth crime is so serious that Scotland Yard has begun arresting children as young as eight who are committing offences of street robbery.

In addition to his plans for 10- and 11-year-olds, the Home Secretary announced today he would give courts new powers to lock up on remand youngsters aged 12 to 16 who have a recent history of persistent offending.

Critics point out that there are only six spaces across England and Wales in secure accommodation and 30 prolific young offenders appear in court every day.

It is understood that more than 100 convicted youngsters could be cleared from council secure accommodation and moved to youth jails to house the new wave of inmates, and sources predict an extra 600 places will be needed eventually.

Harry Fletcher, general secretary of Napo, the probation officers' union, said: "This is a highly controversial strategy because these children need specialist attention and care which cannot be provided in over-stretched youth jails."

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