The age of criminal responsibility in Northern Ireland is currently 10 – the same as in England and Wales
leader also warned UUP MLAs they “will have to answer for themselves” if they choose not to sign his party’s petition of concern. On Monday, the Assembly will return to the question of the minimum age of criminal responsibility in a debate on the Justice Bill.
The age of criminal responsibility in Northern Ireland is currently 10 – the same as in England and Wales. It is 12 in Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland has proposed an amendment to the Bill to raise the minimum age to 14, with exceptions for the most serious offences of murder, manslaughter and rape.
The proposal has been backed by Sinn Féin and the SDLP but opposed by the DUP, UUP leader Jon Burrows and the TUV. The DUP have tabled a petition of concern, whereby a significant minority of MLAs can require a vote to have cross-community support. If the petition of concern is not tabled, the amendment is likely to pass with the majority support of Sinn Féin, SDLP and Alliance.
Former UUP MLA Doug Beattie, who was also the party’s long-time justice spokesperson, is supportive of the age raising to 12. Linking the move to the violence seen in the streets of Northern Ireland this week, Mr Robinson said raising the age would “remove any criminal justice response for young people who were involved in intimidating, attacking or burning their neighbours out of their homes”.
“We have a mechanism to stop it in its tracks but so far some unionists who agree with our position are failing to take the action required to stop it,” he said. “I am grateful for the co-operation of Jon Burrows and Timothy Gaston but now the holdouts should question their conscience. “We have already seen how petty party politics allowed bad law on climate change and education to pass.
“Surely, they can’t contemplate repeating the same mistake on an issue of such profound public safety importance. “The UUP MLAs need to consider if their internal grievances are more important than working together with the rest of us on these most fundamental issues about the age of criminal responsibility.
“Whilst we know the open border brigade appear to have no reluctance of removing criminal justice protections at a time when strong law and order is required, those unionists who fail to sign will have to answer for themselves. ”
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