MINISTERS are being urged to raise the age of criminal responsibility in Scotland to 16.

An independent report also called for a new youth justice system for offenders up to the age of 21, an increase in the number of secure facilities for young people and changes to the Children’s Hearing System.

It comes after the death of 16-year-old William Lindsay, who took his own life in Polmont Young Offenders Institution two days after being sent there on remand.

Approximately half of the 84 places in secure care in Scotland are occupied by young people from outside the country, the Kilbrandon Again report said.

The report was critical of the current system of sending 16 and 17-year-olds to adult courts.

It was also critical of the length of time those who committed childhood offences can have to disclose them for, with enhanced provisions meaning this can be the case until the person is 40.

Richard Holloway, the former bishop of Edinburgh, chaired the study of youth justice systems more than 50 years on from the 1964 Kilbrandon report, which led to the establishment of the current Children’s Hearing System.

He stressed an overhaul is “long overdue”.

While the Scottish Government is bringing in legislation to raise the age of criminal responsibility from eight - the lowest in Europe - to 12, Mr Holloway called on ministers to “be more radical”.

He said: “We have a system envied around the world through taking a progressive, welfare-based approach towards children at risk or in trouble with a strong focus on prevention and early intervention.

“While we welcome the proposal to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12, we do believe we can be more radical and increase the age of criminal responsibility in Scotland to 16.”

In addition it called for the Children’s Hearing System (CHS) to record the circumstances of youngsters who are referred for help, whether they attend the hearings and whether their views are heard.

It said members of children’s panels should reflect more closely the make-up of the communities that most of the children and families they deal with come from.

Paul Carberry, director of Action for Children in Scotland, said despite a fall in the number of children appearing before the courts and children’s hearings, there was a concern “young people with the highest and most complex needs seemed to be most vulnerable to being involved in the adult criminal justice system”.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Raising the age of criminal responsibility to 12 is the right reform for Scotland at this time, and will mean that we are leading the way in the UK, ensuring no child under 12 will be treated as a criminal or accrue a criminal record”