Boy, 11, among 2,000 kids arrested last year for dealing heroin, cocaine and amphetamine, The Sun can reveal
Police figures show an average of about 40 children aged 16 or younger were held every week in England and Wales on suspicion of peddling Class A substances.
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Experts believe many are vulnerable victims of
The 43 forces in England and Wales, plus British Transport Police, released figures after a Freedom of Information request.
They showed that 1,914 under-17s were nabbed for either selling drugs — or having such huge quantities they were suspected of being dealers.
The 11-year-old was held in
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The forces for Merseyside, Northamptonshire and Hampshire did not provide figures so the true total would be higher.
London saw most arrests, with 219 — including seven 13-year-old boys. Greater Manchester had 128, two involving boys of 12.
One was trying to deal in Class A drugs and the other attempted to supply cannabis.
The same force nicked a boy of 13 for trying to sell heroin.
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West Midlands Police arrested 114 under-17s, including two girls of 16 over Class A drugs.
Leicestershire saw 108 arrests, with children pulled in for allegedly dealing in LSD, ecstasy, cocaine, cannabis and heroin.
York's Hidden Crisis: County Lines, Gangs, and the Fight for the City's Youth
Sussex cops made 102 arrests, two of boys aged 13 on suspicion of dealing in crack and heroin.
Anastasia de Waal, of the Civitas think-tank, said: 'We're continuing to see the exploitation of very vulnerable children here. Such exploitation blights not only these youngsters' childhoods but also their futures. Not enough is being done to prevent it.'
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Lynn Perry, chief executive of Barnardo's, added: 'Children who are exploited are often forced to commit crimes by being coerced, threatened and made to feel like there's no way out.'
Ministers want to bring in a law so
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A boy of 11 was among almost 2,000 under-17s arrested last year for dealing drugs including heroin, cocaine and amphetamine
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The Irish Sun
10 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Mum issues scary warning after revealing way stranger tried to ‘drug' her on the train when she was alone with her baby
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The Irish Sun
11 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
My daughter, 16, was murdered by stalker ex – then cops found out her own FRIENDS helped killer hatch ‘zombie' plot
WHEN Janet Leflar met her teenage daughter's boyfriend for the first time, her first impression was that of a polite boy. She could never have known that Skylar Prockner would destroy her world with a sickening Advertisement 8 Mum Janet, seen here with her daughter Hannah, has been left heartbroken by her murder Credit: Supplied 8 Hannah Leflar was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend Skylar Prockner Credit: Supplied 8 Prockner, seen here with Hannah, had plotted the murder with a school friend before stabbing Hannah in her home Credit: Supplied Janet, who lives on Prince Edward Island, Canada, recalls: 'He seemed a nice kid, tall and broad for his age, with long curly hair and a guitar slung over his back. 'Hannah had mentioned him before, and when she told me she liked him, I could only approve. It was sweet to see Hannah blossoming.' Advertisement Describing Hannah as "shy and a little nerdy", Janet says her daughter had never been a typical teen, preferring to play Call of Duty with her stepdad, Wade or her friend Matt. Janet says: 'Around the age of 15, I'd noticed my smart and pretty daughter coming out of her shell. 'Skylar started coming round a couple of times a week, and he and Hannah would see each other at weekends too. 'Skylar was her first boyfriend, but she wasn't your typical infatuated teen girl, and often she and Skylar would hang out with other kids at our house. 'I was always impressed with how considerate Skylar was about keeping the noise down.' Advertisement However, one day, Hannah let something slip that instantly concerned Janet. She says: 'She told me that Skylar's last girlfriend was scared of him." 'She tried to dismiss it as 'stupid', but I told her it was a red flag and that she should keep her eyes open.' Man who stabbed woman to death as she slept confesses to her murder Eight months into Hannah and Prockner's relationship, Janet began to notice her daughter becoming withdrawn, and more worrying signs emerged. Janet told The Sun: 'Skylar had told her that if she ever broke up with him, he'd kill himself. Advertisement 'I recognised his threat as a classic control technique and tried to reassure her that it wouldn't happen and that if it did, he had bigger problems than her.' Eventually, Hannah broke things off, and Janet noticed her return to her usual, happier self and seemed relieved. She added: 'It was sad her first relationship had ended messily, but I was proud of how she'd set a boundary and refused to be controlled by a possessive boy. 'Is Hannah alive?' But Prockner wasn't prepared to let sleeping dogs lie, and in May that year, things took a more sinister turn. The 49-year-old said: 'He was essentially stalking her, pestering Hannah at school, on social media and her phone." 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On January 12 2015, Prockner and Matt waited outside Janet's home until Hannah got in from school. Advertisement Prockner charged in followed by Matt. Hannah fled before she tripped when she got to the bedroom. Prockner inflicted the wounds, but as an accomplice, Matt was also charged. Janet says: 'Detectives explained that the other kids couldn't be charged. 'Their silence was abhorrent, but, in the circumstances, not against the law. But the officer said they'd be witnesses.' Advertisement 8 Skylar Prockner eventually pleaded guilty to first-degree murder Credit: Facebook 8 Janet wants to warn others to keep an eye out for red flags so that they can 'get out fast' before they get hurt Credit: Supplied Over 1000 people were present at Hannah's funeral as her mum struggled to read out a eulogy. She says: 'We had a private family viewing before Hannah's funeral; it was so hard. 'I was unable to believe my vibrant, funny and kind girl was gone, all I could do was tell her I loved her. Advertisement 'I wrote how lucky I was to be her mum in my eulogy, but was so upset it had to be read out by someone else." 'Skylar is still a danger' At first, Prockner denied the charges but in April 2016, 14 months after killing Hannah, he suddenly changed his plea to guilty of first-degree murder. The following July there was a three-day sentence hearing, where Prockner's lawyer described how he'd been physically and verbally abused by his own mother. Domestic abuse - how to get help DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone - including men - and does not always involve physical violence. Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship: Emotional abuse - Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse - gaslighting - being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to Threats and intimidation - Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you Physical abuse - This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten. Sexual abuse - Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent. If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers: on 0808 2000 247 for free at any time, day or night Men who are being abused can call Respect Men's Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 or on 0182 3334 244 Those who identify as LGBT+ can ring on 0800 999 5428 If you are in immediate danger or fear for your life, always ring 999 Remember, you are not alone. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime. Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse. Janet says: 'I sobbed in court as he [Prockner] described Hannah 'gargling in her own blood' when he killed her. 'He'd even boasted about it to his brother. Advertisement 'The mother in me pitied Skylar for his abusive background, but I knew people who'd had a tough childhood, and none of them hurt others.' A psychiatrist described Prockner as having psychopathic tendencies before he was given an adult sentence of life and jailed for a minimum of ten years. The judge lifted the prohibition on naming him, but the same didn't apply to Matt. That September, he admitted second-degree murder. 'He claimed [Matt] never believed Skylar was actually going to kill Hannah, even as he followed him into our home,' Janet says. Advertisement 'When Skylar stabbed Hannah, he said he froze.' Matt, who was sentenced as a youth, could not be identified and got just seven years. A year later, Janet and Wade moved hundreds of miles away to the other side of the country. 'We needed to put distance between us and the horrific death of my daughter,' Janet says. It worries me how many teens like that are out there nowadays Janet Leflar 'I was worried about controlling myself in public if I saw any of the Project Zombify kids.' Advertisement In November 2021, Matt was released. Janet added: 'I believe Skylar will still be a danger when he is eventually released. 'People blamed video games and social media for the wicked silence of the Project Zombify gang. 'I don't think it was that. 'I think Skylar and his followers had too much freedom, too few responsibilities and had never faced consequences for their actions. Advertisement 'It worries me how many teens like that are out there nowadays. 'Now, all I can do is warn other women, especially young girls like Hannah, in their first relationships, to pay attention to those red flags. 'That possessiveness, jealousy and controlling behaviour is easily mistaken for the usual teen drama. 'It's not. It's a sign something's deeply wrong and a sign that your daughter, or son, needs to get out fast.'
The Irish Sun
11 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Rotting corpses, rapes & gun-wielding gangs… how 30,000 Hurricane Katrina survivors fought for life in ‘human cauldron'
CRADLING her three-week-old son as shots rang out in the dark, Taffany Smith was told to scrape off his dirty nappies and use them again. "We pee on the floor," she sobbed. "We are like animals." Hurricane Katrina had already killed almost 2000 people and thousands more were battling to survive among decomposing corpses, excrement and the overwhelming stench of misery and human suffering. Advertisement 23 Thousands fought their way into the Superdome believing it would be safe Credit: ABC News 23 President Bush sent the National Guard in a bid to maintain order Credit: ABC News After the deadly storm swept away their homes, the sweltering Superdome was supposed to be an emergency refuge for desperate displaced people with nowhere else to go, for just a few hours. Instead they were plunged into a terrifying hellscape where guns, knives and drugs were rife, fighting for survival for days. 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Advertisement Medical facilities were overloaded, there was no phone signal and the situation was declared critical. 23 An elderly woman is carried from the Superdome after gunshots were heard Credit: AFP 23 Plans to rebuild New Orleans have been slow to take effect Credit: KXAS-NBC 5 Collection/UNT Libraries Special Collections 23 A new levee system is designed to prevent another tragedy Credit: Lightbox Entertainment Inc. Advertisement It appeared that the police had lost control as violence broke out - and when police, helicopter pilots and SWAT teams were shot at, all rescue operations were abandoned. After five days, tens of thousands were still waiting, struggling for survival and sharing what scraps of food they could find until the armed National Guard relief convoy finally rumbled into town in tanks and armoured vehicles. 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