Police condemned for using stop and search powers on 300 children aged under five

‘Nearly 300 children under the age of five have been stopped and searched by police over the last five years, it has emerged.

Officers across the UK have been condemned for using their powers to stop and search toddlers on suspicion of a host of offences including drug or knife crime, possession of weapons and terrorism.

Police said that in nearly all cases, officers had carried out the searches after believing the child had been an innocent party who had been used by adults to conceal drugs, weapons or stolen goods.’

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