"Offences of criminal damage, public disorder, robbery and minor assaults carried out by females under 18 have all increased, figures released yesterday reveal.
Over the same period the number of crimes committed by boys fell slightly, although boys and young men are still responsible for the overwhelming bulk of youth offending.
Figures from the Youth Justice Board showed that crimes carried out by girls between the ages of 10 and 17 have risen by 25 per cent in three years, with violent attacks against people rising by 50 per cent.
“It is fights between girls, principally – things like fights at school that the police weren’t called to in the past. Most offending by girls, especially violent offending, is of a very low level. It doesn’t mean it’s insignificant, but it is hair-pulling fights between girls.”
