Shame of Scotland's child drunks

Primary-school pupils have been discovered in the street after drinking so much alcohol that they are completely out of control.

Rather than being taken home to their parents or educated about the risks they are taking, these children are being arrested.

Last night, alcohol awareness campaigners and politicians expressed their shock at this new dimension to Scotland's dangerous drink culture. Front-line workers said the under-age drinking problem was worse now than a decade ago.

One leading charity warned against "criminalising young people unnecessarily", but added that it was essential that laws were enforced.

Meanwhile, the head of NHS 24, the out-of-hours health service, said the phoneline had received reports of eight-year-old children making themselves ill with alcohol.

In the past five years, more than 2,000 children have been arrested for being drunk and incapable in public. Of these, at least 34 were 12 years old or younger.

However, the figures only hint at the full extent of the problem, as many more cases will not reach the arrest stage, with youngsters instead being taken home or warned by officers.

Over those five years, the country's biggest police force, Strathclyde, arrested 1,475 under-age drinkers, 30 of whom had not even reached their teens. The youngest was just ten.

Frank Soodeen, of the agency Alcohol Concern, said: "Beyond the harm they may be doing to their still-developing bodies, young people who drink heavily while unsupervised are more likely to have sex (they later regret], incur an injury or get into a fight.

"Without criminalising young people unnecessarily, licensing laws and regulations should ensure age restrictions are effectively enforced. Training should be provided to staff selling alcohol to help them deal with under-age drinkers."

The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland said it backed all forces' attempts to crack down on under-age drinking, but insisted enforcement was only one of a series of measures taken.

Assistant Chief Constable Maureen Brown, who represents the association on youth-related issues, said parents and carers had an important role to play.

She said police used enforcement and education to combat the problem, and worked with health, education and social- work agencies to "ensure the balance is struck between enforcement of the law and the need to inform young people and their parents or carers of their responsibilities, and the dangers associated with alcohol".

The figures, obtained using Freedom of Information legislation, show that, in the Grampian region, 113 under-age drinkers were arrested, with the youngest aged only 12.

Some of the most high-profile and tragic instances of child drinking have occurred in the force area over recent years.

Just before Christmas 2005, police discovered two 13-year-old girls passed out, hypothermic and suffering acute alcohol intoxication on a pavement in the affluent commuter town of Westhill, near Aberdeen.

A picture of one of them, sprawled in the back of a police van, was widely circulated as shocking evidence of Scotland's under-age drinking shame.

Inspector Dave Smith, the force's substance misuse co- ordinator, said each case involving a drunk child would be dealt with on its own merits, prioritising the interests of the child.

He explained: "If it's a one-off, we would look into that and see if it's worth charging someone that young."

Insp Smith said the figures showed there had been a general increase in dangerous drinking throughout the country. He added that, in his experience, "young people are becoming more involved with alcohol than they did previously".

"The prevalence of it has probably increased and the age group has decreased," he said. "Alcohol is more available. It's cheaper than it's ever been.

"What we are told and are finding is that a lot of young people drink at home, some probably with their parents' consent."

George Crooks, clinical director and chief operating officer of NHS 24, said the worst of the under-age drinking problem was dealt with by the ambulance service and hospitals' accident and emergency departments.

However, he said the helpline had been contacted by terrified parents unsure of how to cope with drunk children as young as eight.

He said: "Usually the parents are very anxious and wonder what to do. They are shocked and very concerned. They often blame themselves."

Dr Crooks said the figures showed a "very worrying trend" and it was clear that children were drinking for effect, rather than taste.

Bill Aitken, the Scottish Tories' justice spokesman, said the figures "demonstrate the need for urgent action, particularly on the part of the licensing boards".

He said that while the youngsters had to take some personal responsibility, he believed they bought the alcohol from off- licences where staff knew they were under-age, and "anyone who is irresponsible enough to sell drink to youngsters should lose their licence".

The Association of Convenience Stores, a campaigning group for local shops, admitted its members had a role to play in dealing with the crisis, but insisted children obtained alcohol from other sources as well.

Shane Brennan, a spokesman for the group, said: "Whilst retailers have a responsibility they need to fulfil better, to just blame the retailer isn't going to solve the problems for the future."

DRUG RAID AT HIGH SCHOOL

THREE pupils have been suspended following a drugs raid at secondary school after the head teacher called in a police sniffer-dog unit.

Officers from Northern Constabulary uncovered what is believed to be a quantity of cannabis at Nairn Academy as staff and pupils were preparing for the Christmas break.

Police were called in by Jean Godden, the head teacher, following suspicions of drug-related activity in the school grounds.

Three pupils were removed from classes and have been excluded from the school pending police inquiries. They have also been reported to the Children's Panel.

Parents of all pupils at the school were informed of the incident in a letter from Mrs Godden.

She wrote: "The proposal to bring in police dogs specially trained to detect illegal substances was agreed to by all parties, with the assurance that the exercise would be carried out sensitively."

A spokesman for Northern Constabulary confirmed the force had been asked to visit the school by Mrs Godden.

A Highland Council spokesman said: "We can confirm three senior pupils have been excluded from Nairn Academy pending school and police investigations into alleged misuse of drugs."