Children’s Commissioner Calls for Criminal Record Reform After Southport Riots

Dame Rachel de Souza argues for leniency in cases involving young offenders, while debate continues over the role of racism and misinformation in the unrest.

Dame Rachel de Souza, England’s Children’s Commissioner, has proposed wiping the criminal records of children involved in the Southport riots to help them rebuild their lives.
The riots were sparked by misinformation following the murder of three girls, but the commissioner’s report found most children joined out of curiosity, distrust of police, or the thrill of the moment rather than racist or anti-immigration motives.
Treasury Minister Emma Reynolds and others have rejected the idea of record expungement, citing the importance of maintaining legal deterrents.
The report highlighted that many children involved had no prior criminal history and were influenced by community mistrust of police or the opportunity for looting.
The commissioner also called for an inquiry into sentencing laws for teenage murderers, following outrage over the inability to impose a whole-life sentence on Axel Rudakubana, who was just under 18 at the time of the murders.