Offenders: Age Assurance
Commons · Question 10288 · Tabled 16 Jun 2026 · Ministry of Justice · Official record
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Question
Asked by Nick Timothy
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how is the age of an offender determined by the courts; and are any scientific age assessments used.
Answer
Answered by Sarah Sackman, 24 Jun 2026
Where an offender’s age is in doubt in criminal proceedings, the court must determine age on the basis of the available evidence. In practice, this may include an adjournment so that an age assessment can be carried out.Where documentary evidence is not a...