Young troublemakers who flout the law in Inverness could be prevented from leaving their homes by curfew orders, under a proposal put forward by police.
Northern Constabulary has asked the Scottish Government if the Highland capital can introduce curfew orders to keep under-16s off the streets at night. Similar orders were piloted in the central belt in 1997.
At present, police in Inverness have no power to restrict the movements of children who are known troublemakers, even though similar restrictions can be placed on adults.
Northern Constabulary’s head of operations, Chief Superintendent Bruce Duncan, said: “It is acknowledged that a small number of youths are often responsible for a disproportionate volume of crime.
“We have put forward a suggestion that curfew orders similar to those used successfully for adults should be introduced in relation to habitual offenders under the age of 16.
“These curfews would also place more accountability on the parents of offenders. If granted, we would be willing to pilot this suggestion in Inverness.”
The proposal has been welcomed by ex-policeman and Highland Council’s SNP leader John Finnie, who said persistent troublemakers who blight city neighbourhoods should be the subject of curfews. He said: “The proposal I would support would target attention on particular individuals, not a blanket approach.”
Using the example of a constituent in his Inverness Ness-side ward who has fitted triple glazing to stop a youth smashing windows, Mr Finnie said: “I’m sure this youth would benefit from being in his house in the safe company of his parents, rather than out creating bother.”
Mr Finnie, who is a member of the Northern Joint Police Board, added that it was a frustration for police officers that adults who commit crime can be subjected to a curfew by a sheriff, but a child could not.
Last week, it was revealed that there had been a 15% rise in crime perpetrated by children in the Highland capital since 2006.
In the past three years in Inverness, 4,441 crimes, which include sexual offences, were committed by young people aged 17 and under.
The youngest sexual offender was a nine-year-old boy who exposed himself to a classmate prior to molesting her and trying to take off her clothes, while the figures also showed that 12-year-olds had been charged with road traffic offences.
Curfew orders have previously been piloted in 1997 in Lanarkshire, where the local council imposed a blanket ban on under-16s from venturing on to the streets without adult supervision after 9pm.