A baby girl aged just one-year-old has been logged as a crime suspect by Kent Police, among a shocking number of children reported to the force over a three-year period.
A staggering total of 683 children under 10 were recorded between January 2023 and December 2025, according to statistics obtained through a freedom of information request.
The infant was flagged to officers following an incident which allegedly resulted in another toddler sustaining a minor injury.
Alleged offences of children on the books ranged from assault and burglary, to arson and sexual crimes.
As the minimum age for criminal responsibility in England and Wales is 10, none of the young children risked facing prosecution or court proceedings.
Among those recorded as suspects were six two-year-olds, 11 three-year-olds and 20 four-year-olds.
Boys accounted for more than three-quarters of the children linked to alleged offences, with violent incidents against other people being the most frequently reported category.
Paul Webb, councillor for children's services at Kent County Council, expressed concern at both the sheer volume of cases and the involvement of such young children.
The infant was flagged to officers following an incident that allegedly resulted in another toddler sustaining a minor injury
| GETTYHe said: "It's not great, but we support children of all ages through our prevention programme. We try to get them as early as possible, really help them through our services and talk with parents."
Councillor Webb attributed much of the increase in youth offending to county lines drug networks, which frequently recruit vulnerable youths, particularly those in care.
"This is a big problem we've seen not just in Kent, but across the South East in particular," he said.
A total of 130 sexual offences involving children below nine years old were also documented during the same timeframe.
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Child-on-child sexual abuse is recognised as a national safeguarding concern, which schools and local authorities must monitor carefully.
Government guidance requires rape or sexual assault allegations to be referred to police, regardless of the alleged perpetrator's age.
Kent Police explained Home Office regulations mandate the logging of all reported incidents, even when the child involved falls below the criminal responsibility threshold, or when no further action is deemed appropriate.
Chief Superintendent Rob Marsh, who leads the force's Strategic Prevention Command, said: "We can receive reports of crimes by children from various sources, including victims, family members or schools and other agencies."
Rather than pursuing prosecution, officers and partner organisations concentrate on safeguarding measures, prevention strategies and family support when dealing with children under 10.
Available interventions include restorative justice programmes, educational initiatives, curfews and social services referrals.
Chief Superintendent Marsh added the force's child-centred policing teams prioritise "prevention, deterrence and education", whilst a dedicated violence reduction unit collaborates with partners on "targeted initiatives to divert young people away from criminality".
"Our focus is very much on understanding what has caused a child to become involved in crime so that this can be addressed, often through work with partners to provide effective support measures," he added.
Scotland sets its criminal responsibility age at 12, whilst the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child recommends a minimum threshold of 14.