article_snippet: Nearly 300 children under the age of five have been stopped and searched by police over the last five years, Nearly 300 children under the age of five has emerged.
article_snippet: Officers across UK have been condemned for using Officers across the UK powers to stop and search toddlers on suspicion of a host of offences including drug or knife crime, possession of weapons and terrorism.
article_snippet: 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.
article_snippet: Officers across UK have stopped and searched nearly 300 children aged under five on suspicion of a host of offences including drug or knife crime, weapon possession and terrorism in the last five years (file picture) Police can stop and search children under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, which states that there is no requirement for an adult to be present during the search of under-10s.
article_snippet: One former Met Police officer, who worked at border control at Heathrow Airport, said One former Met Police officer, who worked at border control at Heathrow Airport believed stop and search powers on children were used only in exceptional circumstances.
article_snippet: In total, Met Police officers in London have stopped and searched a total of 184 children under the age of five over the last five years.
article_snippet: Greater Manchester Police was found to be the next prolific at stopping and searching children, with 45 toddlers frisked.
article_snippet: While nearly 300 children aged under five have been stopped and searched across the UK during the last five years, a total of 612 children under the age of 10 - below the age of criminal responsibility - have also been searched.
article_snippet: Releasing the figures for London, Scotland Yard said the majority of searches on children were to dectect and defer adults using youngsters to conceal weapons or drugs.
article_snippet: A spokesman said: 'The stop and search of individuals under 10-years-old represented only 0.02 per cent of total MPS stop and search activity in both 2011/2012
article_snippet: There are occasions when young children are concerned in crime and anti-social behavour, and it is necessary for officers to undertake searches to allay or confirm suspicions without exercising young children powers of arrest. '
article_snippet: Any young child or baby being searched will be as a result of it being suspected that Any young child or baby being searched are in some way the unsuspecting and innocent assistant in a criminal act. '
highlights_snippet: Nearly 300 children under the age of five stopped and searched across UK .
  
highlights_snippet: Metropolitan Police stopped and frisked 184 under-fives in last five years .
  
highlights_snippet: Scotland Yard said several children often stopped for being used by adults .
  