Plans to send 16 and 17-year-old offenders to children’s panels abandoned

The Scottish executive has abandoned plans to refer 16 and
17-year-olds to children’s panels instead of the adult
criminal justice system.

Justice minister Jim Wallace plans to lodge an amendment to the
Criminal Justice Bill to kill off the proposal. Wallace announced
his decision in a letter to Pauline McNeill, convener of the
Justice 2 Committee, which is considering the bill in its second
stage.