Nearly 40,000 children have been fined, cautioned or taken to court for alcohol-related offences in the last five years. The number has increased by over a quarter in that period, according to research by the Liberal Democrats. The key points are: 

·         39,714 people aged under 18 were fined, cautioned or taken to court for alcohol related offences between 2003 and 2007

·         This includes 124 children aged 10 to 12 and 6,111 aged 13 to 15

·         The number of under-18s fined, cautioned or taken to court for alcohol related offences has increased by 28.4% from 6,764 in 2003 to 8,686 in 2007

·         The number of 13 to 15 year olds being cautioned has increased by 17.4% and the number of 13 to 15 year olds being taken to court has increased by 19.9% in the same period.  

Vic D’Albert, Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Bury South said said:“These figures are absolutely shocking. It’s extremely worrying to see how many children are being dragged into the criminal justice system through alcohol abuse. The problem appears to be growing worse by leaps and bounds. 

“There has been a lot of Government talk about the alcohol crisis in this country but these figures show that they are completely failing to tackle this crisis. 

“Unless we change our drinking culture, we will condemn many of these children and adolescents to serious long-term alcohol-related illnesses or a life of crime. We must stamp out the sale of ultra-cheap alcohol being sold at pocket-money prices and improve the education of our children about the dangers of drink.

“The Government must get serious about this escalating problem. They must end the culture of cheap booze imports and show zero tolerance when enforcing a strict policy that those who sell alcohol to under-age children will lose their licence.”