Ministers urged to increase age of criminal responsibility to 12
The Scottish Government has been urged to raise the age of criminal responsibility from eight to 12.
The Scottish Government has been urged to raise the age of criminal responsibility from eight to 12.
The Liberal Democrats' plea came ahead of a ministerial statement on the subject at Holyrood on Thursday.
The party's justice spokesman Liam McArthur said the change is needed to protect vulnerable children.
At present, children under the age of 12 cannot be prosecuted in court in Scotland, but those aged eight and over can be referred to the children's hearings system for offending.
An advisory group set up by the Government in 2015 recommended that the age of criminal responsibility be raised to 12.
Ministers held a consultation on the age change between March and June this year, but did not take a firm position on the proposal.
Mr McArthur said some of the country's most vulnerable children are being "tainted with a criminal record for the rest of their lives".
He added: "The SNP Government has repeatedly chosen to not take action to right this wrong.
"They had numerous opportunities to change the law, not least when they voted against our amendments twice in the previous Parliament.
"They refused to implement the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, as well as the recommendations of their own advisory group.
"This failure by the SNP to act has let children down in Scotland."
He added: "Scottish Liberal Democrats have been pressing the Scottish Government to change the law for years. Protecting children's human rights is a duty which the Scottish Government has so far been totally complacent on."