Alarming new crime figures show a five-year-old boy was investigated for the rape of a 13-year-old girl in Manchester last year.
According to the data, thousands of children under ten have been accused of committing crimes including sexual assault, arson and threats to kill in the last year.
The figures, obtained by the Daily Star after they submitted Freedom of Information requests to police forces, show that there were 70 reports of rape by children under 10 since 2014.
Reflecting on the shocking results, the NSPCC noted that many children committing crimes of this nature may have been abused themselves.
A spokeswoman told the paper:
“It is deeply concerning that so many very young children are said to have committed sexual offences. In these cases we have to question the environment in which they are growing up that has led to them behaving in this way.
“It could be they have seen sexual activity that they are just too young to understand or that they’ve been victims of abuse themselves.
“Prevention has to be the key and that is recognising warning signs early and taking swift action.
“The young victims who have suffered these awful assaults need expert support.”
While children under ten cannot be prosecuted, they can be given a Local Child Curfew or a Child Safety Order.
Those who persistently break the law can also be taken into care, or in some cases the parents can be held responsible.
