DNA records on thousands of innocent children are being held by police in Northern Ireland, it was claimed today.
The North's Children's Commissioner has written to the Police Service Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde expressing his concern and urging him to reconsider the policy of retaining DNA records on children and young people who have committed no offence.
He said he believed the PSNI was breaching United Nations conventions. Just yesterday the parents of an 11-year-old schoolgirl complained formally about her being DNA tested while being questioned about the writing of her name on a graffiti-covered wall in Derry.
Children's Commissioner Barney McNeany said he was concerned up to 3,000 under-18s had their DNA held in PSNI databases and that many of the children and young people had neither been charged with offences or found guilty of crime.
"We have a number of cases where the young person and their family have been distressed by being told their DNA is being held, despite the fact they have not been charged or found guilty," said Mr McNeany. He said he had raised the issue with both the PSNI and the Policing Board.
"I have written to the Chief Constable, Sir Hugh Orde and the chairman of the policing board asking for the retention of DNA of under-18s to be reconsidered," he revealed.
"Obviously we would not object to DNA being taken and held if a young person has committed and been found guilty of a serious offence.
"But for children who are innocent of any crime we cannot see the need to retain their DNA."
The Commissioner said he believed the holding of DNA of the under-18s may be in breach of Articles 16 and 40 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child where there is no conviction.