Context
Tragically, 12-year-old Leo Ross was stabbed to death in Birmingham as he was returning home from school. His 14-year-old killer had been arrested several times for violent offences in the months running up to the killing.
Question
What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the youth justice system in preventing reoffending, especially given the recent tragic stabbing of Leo Ross where his 14-year-old killer had a history of violent offences?
Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Sir Nicholas Dakin)
I am deeply saddened by this tragic crime, and my thoughts and those of everyone else go to the family of Leo Ross. Such horrific events underline just how important it is to deliver our manifesto commitment to ensure that every young person caught in possession of a knife is referred to a youth offending team and that appropriate action is taken. We are also piloting a new, more robust form of community punishment for children involving mandatory GPS monitoring and intensive supervision.
Not addressed: The specific actions taken by the Government to address past violent offences before the incident were not detailed.
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