Transcript

CLIVE COLEMAN

Thames Youth Court, East London on a Friday morning. Jermaine, not his real name, has just appeared before the judge. I met him and his mother outside.

JERMAINE’S MOTHER

My son got involved with a couple of youths where we live to rob a pizza guy of his bike and pizza. I just felt disappointed, heartbroken. He’s only 15.

JERMAINE

We didn’t think about it. We didn’t plan it or nothing. Just went for him.

CLIVE COLEMAN

So how’s that going to affect the way you go about thinking about those things in the future? Because it’s dangerous if you’re part of a gang like that.

JERMAINE

Yeah I know. It will affect me badly still. I’m easily like that, that’s why.

CLIVE COLEMAN

It’s going to be your last time?

JERMAINE

Yes, definitely.

CLIVE COLEMAN

With an ever increasing concern about violent crime committed by young people, we’re spending today at Thames Youth Court talking to people like Jermaine and his mum. But we’re also going to be addressing the highly divisive issue of the age of criminal responsibility. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it’s 10. At 8, Scotland currently has the lowest age of criminal responsibility in Europe, but the government there plans to raise it to 12. So, should the rest of the United Kingdom follow suit, or perhaps raise it even higher? It’s 15 in Portugal, 18 in Belgium. Jermaine’s 15. Should he be on trial?