The States are debating the Deputy’s proposition to give the courts the power to lift the order of anonymity imposed by the law for under-18s who commit serious offences.
Deputy Pitman wants the threshold lowered to 12. An amendment by Senator Ben Shenton would lower it to 16. If the States agree the move, the Youth Court would have the power to reverse the ban on naming youths convicted of murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery or serious assaults unless the youth had learning difficulties affecting their offending, or unless there was a risk of serious mental or physical harm to them.
Deputy Pitman, a former youth worker, told the States that young offenders had to be accountable for their actions.
