The Northern Ireland Assembly will debate next week whether to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility, currently set at 10 years old. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has confirmed its united opposition to any increase and has tabled a Petition of Concern to block the move.

The age of criminality has been under review, with some MLAs proposing it be raised to 12, 14, or even 16. The DUP argues that keeping the threshold at 10 is essential for public protection and upholding the rule of law.

The party points to incidents where young children have been involved in serious crimes, including actual bodily harm and rioting. It also highlights a recent case in Great Britain where three teenage boys convicted of luring, raping, and filming the abuse of two girls received only youth rehabilitation orders. The Attorney General has been asked to review those sentences as potentially unduly lenient.

A DUP spokesperson said raising the age would send a dangerous message to victims and strip police and prosecutors of tools to deal with cases requiring criminal intervention. The party insists that accountability must not be discarded, even as it acknowledges that most young people are law-abiding and that rehabilitation has a role.

The debate has exposed divisions among other parties. While some favour an increase to 12, others back 14 or 16. The DUP has accused some MLAs of being influenced by lobby groups rather than constituents.

The Assembly debate is expected to be a defining moment for the justice system in Northern Ireland. The DUP says it will argue for a framework that supports rehabilitation where appropriate but never sacrifices public safety or justice for victims.