‘I noticed home windows I’d smashed in Southport riots, the guilt was so dangerous,’ baby says

Thrill-seeking and a distrust of police drove young people to get involved in last summer’s riots more than online misinformation, a report has found.

Hundreds of children – some as young as 11 – were caught up in the unrest across England sparked by the Southport murders. Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza, who spoke to around a fifth of the youngsters who were charged during the disorder, found that children were not primarily driven by far-right, anti-immigration or racist views as had been believed. Instead, many children’s involvement in the riots was spontaneous and opportunistic.

Dame Rachel said kids had often stumbled upon the disorder on their walks home and in some cases were “encouraged” by adults to throw things at police. Others spoke to her about “their hatred of the police” including previous bad experiences and community mistrust.

One child told her “the guilt afterwards was so bad”, saying: “You’re on the bus driving past windows that you’ve smashed. People have said what if there was a baby on the other side of the windows?” Other children reflected on the experience, saying that they would no longer be tempted to go and observe similar incidents in the future.

Dame Rachel said: “Most said they were curious, thought it looked fun or didn’t like the police. Many described impulsive decisions, driven by disaffection or distrust of the police as factors for their involvement.”

She continued: “What these conversations do not support is the prevailing narrative that emerged from the riots which was subsequently accepted: that online misinformation, racism or other right-wing influences were to blame for why young people were enticed to join in the aggression. While there is no doubt these issues all played a role, they did not drive the children’s actions – they did not come up as the only significant factors in any of the conversations with the children who were charged.”

Widespread violence and disorder erupted across the country last July after false claims spread online about the identity of the Southport killer. Axel Rudakubana was handed a 52-year sentence last week for the triple killing as well as the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults at a Taylor-Swift dance class.

Some 147 children were arrested for their involvement in the riots by September 4 , according to Dame Rachel’s report, which compiled information from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC). By the end of October, 84 kids had been charged and 73 had been given a final outcome.

Of these, 62% were charged with a public order offence, 15% for offences against the person, 15% burglary and 5% criminal damage. Some 93% were boys while 7% were girls, the report said, while more than three quarters (78%) were charged in northern England.

Dame Rachel criticised that the government’s response to the riots resulted in “unusually severe charges and sentences, often overlooking children’s potential for rehabilitation”. Her report found that children involved were sometimes arrested by teams of around six to 10 officers and were held in police custody for up to 72 hours despite the law recognising that police cells are unsuitable for kids.

Dame Rachel did not excuse criminal behaviour but said the response from authorities must address the “underlying causes” of a child’s involvement, such as poverty, a lack of youth activities and limited employment opportunities. She added: “The involvement of children in those riots and the reasons they told me they got involved raise some really serious questions about childhood in England and why our children feel so disaffected and disempowered. The widespread expression of hostility toward the police among these children also highlights an urgent need for child-centred policing that builds trust and fosters positive relationships.”

A government spokesman said: “The senseless violence we saw on our streets after the tragic loss of Bebe, Elsie and Alice brought shame to our nation, and the mobilisation of our police and entire criminal justice system to bring perpetrators of all ages to justice was vital in restoring order. There is no justification for the violence which they endured last year. More widely work is taking place across government – underscored by our Plan for Change – to break down the barriers to opportunity and ensure that every child has the best start in life.”