Update on 11-year-olds who wrote N-word on little boy's forehead in Chorley 'playground hate crime'
A Chorley mum was horrified after her six-year-old son was racially assaulted while playing in the park...
Two 11-year-old boys who carried out a shocking hate crime on a Chorley playground have been referred to the Youth Offending Team.
The incident occurred at around 5pm on Sunday, September 5, at Harpers Lane Recreation Ground, where a six-year-old boy was approached by the two older boys.
The pair wrote the N-word on the boy’s forehead and arm using permanent markers, and also scrawled the offensive word on a slide in the play area.
The six-year-old’s mum was horrified and reported the incident to Lancashire Police, who said they were treating the incident “extremely seriously”.
The force said officers visited local schools and conducted door-to-door enquiries as part of their efforts to identify the two boys.
An 11-year-old boy was later arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated assault and criminal damage, with a second boy, 11, also identified and interviewed by officers.
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Punishment
In an update today, Lancashire Police said the boys were ‘spoken to’ and have since been referred to the Youth Offending Team.
“They will determine on an appropriate disposal,” a said spokesperson for the force.
What is a Youth Offending Team?
Youth offending teams work with young people that get into trouble with the law. They look into the background of a young person and try to help them stay away from crime.
They operate independently from the police and courts, bringing together professionals from different sectors to address the root causes of a youth’s criminal behaviour and prevent reoffending.