����ý

There is "strong support" for raising the age at which a child can be prosecuted for a crime in Northern Ireland from 10 to 14, the Department of Justice has said.

It has published the outcome of a public consultation, with 87% of respondents backing change.

Previous efforts to examine the legislation failed to attract sufficient political support.

The department said the consultation would be used to inform policy.

Its permanent secretary, Richard Pengelly, said it would be used "in line with the priorities of the incoming justice minister and the Northern Ireland Executive".

The Democratic Unionist Party and Traditional Unionist Party are against changing the age.

The Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility (MACR) is the lowest age at which a person can be arrested and charged with committing a crime.

Ten is one of the lowest ages anywhere in the world.

Like Northern Ireland, it is also 10 in England and Wales.

In Scotland it is 12 - the same as in the Republic of Ireland - but provision has been made for exceptional cases, with criminal responsibility for the most serious offences being set at 10.

UN urges change

The UN body which monitors the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has urged countries to raise their MACR's to at least 14.

The Department of Justice said .

The consultation was prompted by other changes in the youth justice system, which has seen "a shift in focus from punishment to rehabilitation".

Former Justice Minister Naomi Long said: "Criminalising children as young as ten serves nobody's best interests.

"While children should still take responsibility for their actions, placing them into the system at such an early age does not give them the support they need to turn their lives around.

"I am pleased the public has overwhelmingly backed that proposal.

"This gives a strong basis for a reformed executive to proceed with making this change, so Northern Ireland can meet best international standards."