Children from the age of eight can be charged with a criminal offence.
This, according to Public Information Officer at the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), Inspector Michelle Lewis.
Inspector Lewis was speaking on TTT’s NOW Morning Show when she made the comment.
“That age and above, nine, ten, eleven, that the child is mentally capable of committing a criminal offence. Mentally liable for a criminal offence and so, if you’re liable, because we look at the mentality to do it and the act to carry it out, right? So, once those ingredients are there, depending on the offence that’s committed, then a child, under the age of 18 but over eight, eight and over can be charged with a criminal offence.”
Inspector Lewis also reminded young people to refrain from provoking and/or recording acts of violence.
“We’re seeing some children promoting the fights, antagonising a situation, causing a child that probably was bullied to fight. And then recording those incidents and then those incidents reach on social media. That is also something that the TTPS is totally against in terms of promoting that type of activity as being something that is a good one. And, so, anything that would prevent those types of activities from taking place, the TTPS certainly supports.”
Inspector Lewis stressed that parents and guardians have a strong responsibility in the development of their children so that they do not become the bullied or the bully.