TO his neighbours, he is a foul-mouthed yob. To the police he is a mini terrorist. To his parents, he is almost non-existent.

But more than any of this, the boy on our front page is a child.

A feral child, without a doubt. His catalogue of crimes is appalling: assaults on other children, dog mess through letterboxes, vandalism.

Each new offence he commits goes unpunished because, at eight, the boy is two years below the age of legal responsibility.

He is untouchable: infuriating for those at the receiving end and frustrating for the police. But the law is clear. Children younger than ten cannot be criminalised because they may not be able to distinguish right from wrong.

That is certainly the case here. Shockingly, this boy first came to police notice when he was four years old. That speaks volumes about the parental neglect he has suffered.

While he is too young to be legally punished, his parents are not. These days they could be fined or even jailed if he persistently skipped school. So why can't they be brought to account for his crime spree?

There is hope for this boy. York's inclusion panel has an excellent record of helping wayward children back on track.

But it is time that the parents of such unhappy children were made to face the consequences of their negligence.

Updated: 10:06 Friday, November 05, 2004