Drop in criminal kids in the capital

By Cara Sulieman

CHILDREN as young as six have been arrested in the capital in the last year – but police insist they are winning the war on youth crime.

There has been a 25 per cent fall in the number of under-16s being arrested in the last year, but there are still at least six primary school children charged every week

And 312 youngsters aged between six and ten were arrested by Lothian and Borders Police.

There were seven children aged just seven referred to the children’s reporter and a total of 3947 youngsters aged between 11 and 15 charged by police between April 2008 and March this year.

Crimes committed by these under-16s included robbery, assault, housebreaking, joyriding, vandalism and possession of offensive weapons.

Kids sent home from school for being drunk

By Cara Sulieman

SCOTS primary pupils are being sent home by teachers for being DRUNK in class.

Shock new figures show teeny tipplers have also been admitted to hospital for treatment after boozing.

As many as five kids were sent home from class in the last year in the Lothians because they were drunk, according to the damning figures published by the Scottish Government.

The figures also revealed that seven children aged 12 or under were admitted to hospitals in the area suffering from alcohol-related illness last year.

While that is a drop from eight the year before, with the highest being 12 in 2003, it is feared to be the first time kids have been found inebriated on school premises.

Scottish politicians told they can claim back Remembrance Day wreaths on expenses

By Cara Sulieman

SCOTTISH politicians will be allowed to claim back the cost of Remembrance Day poppy wreaths on their expenses – despite a ruling banning Westminster MPs from doing the same.

The news comes just a week before the traditional services to pay tribute to the country’s fallen heroes.

The decision comes as a surprise as earlier this year fifteen MSPs were criticised for claiming back the wreaths as “running costs” last year.

Following a public outcry, all fifteen paid the money back.

Edinburgh bridge job in a Glasgow office

By Michael MacLeod

THE project director for a £2.3 billion bridge in Edinburgh will be based 50 miles away in Glasgow.

A job advert for the £110,000 post has come under criticism for stating that the new Forth road bridge boss will be based in the West of Scotland.

Edinburgh MSPs slammed the Scottish Government, saying the new bridge chief should be based on-site.

But Transport Scotland said the director will “eventually” end up in the East coast.

The job of heading up the massive project is described as an “opportunity of unprecedented scale.”

The director must deliver a 2.7km bridge in time for opening in 2016 under “high levels of public scrutiny” and “intense media pressure,” according to the advert.