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Crimes of Violence: Young Offenders

Asked by Ben Obese-JectyConservativeMinistry of JusticeTabled Answered 20 October 2025UIN 79382

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many children were (a) arrested, (b) charged and (c) prosecuted for (i) all forms of violent assault, (ii) battery, (iii) actual bodily harm and (iv) grievous bodily harm by (A) age and (B) gender in each year since 2015.

Answered by Jake Richards

The information requested on the number of children prosecuted for the offences listed (all forms of violent assault, battery, actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm, murder and sexual assault offences) by age and gender, can be found at: Criminal Justice System statistics quarterly: December 2024 - GOV.UK.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the number of children arrested and charged as this is a matter for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service. However, some information on arrests and charges can be found within the Crime Outcomes in England and Wales produced by the Home Office.

Data centrally held does not include the number of children who were victims of crimes committed by other children, beyond information included in the offence type, nor how many children were murdered by other children, beyond infanticide. Whilst this information may be held in court records, examining individual records would incur disproportionate costs.

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