An 11-year old boy was recently called “shorty” by another boy on the street. As far as children’s taunting goes, this was fairly mild; further up the cruelty scale might merit some kind of disciplinary intervention from a parent, teacher or another allegedly responsible adult. What it almost certainly wouldn’t require is police action. Or at least it wouldn’t in the days before the world went mad.
Back in June, however, a Wiltshire police officer opened a “non-crime hate incident” file on the aggressor, also 11, for his jibe. Absurdly, the report could now appear in the kid’s criminal record checks for the next six years, hampering later employment opportunities and surely making him the sort with more, not less, time and inclination to bully others.
