Children driven to join summer riots for the 'thrill' rather than than by 'far-right ideology', report suggests

It comes as a new report has suggested a deep distrust in the police and a lack of opportunities were also behind some children's decisions to take part.

De Souza said her conversations with children charged over the disorder "paints a more complex picture" about why they had become involved, but stressed her report "does not excuse criminality".

In a report published earlier today, she said: "What emerged from the conversations I had with the young people themselves was striking, and often unsettling.

"Many children described making a split-second decision, their involvement being largely spontaneous and unconsidered, driven by curiosity or the thrill of the moment to see what was going on in their community. Others described a deep distrust of the police and the opportunity to retaliate against a previous interaction.

"What these conversations do not support is the prevailing narrative that emerged from the riots which was subsequently accepted: that online misinformation, racism or other right-wing influences were to blame for why young people were enticed to join in the aggression.

"While there is no doubt these issues all played a role, they did not drive the children’s actions – they did not come up as the only significant factors in any of the conversations with the children who were charged."

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Information from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) showed 147 children were arrested by September 4, 84 were charged, and 73 had finalised outcomes, as of the end of October.

Of the 14 children spoken to by the commissioner’s office, many had no previous experience with the criminal justice system and reported having felt curious to see what was happening, thinking it looked fun or wanting free goods.

The report said that all of those interviewed "made it clear that they did not get involved due to far-right, anti-immigration or racist views".

It concluded that the Government’s approach in responding swiftly to the disorder "led to most children receiving unusually severe charges and sentences".

Violence broke out across the country in the days and weeks following the murders of three children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport in July 2024.

Last week, Axel Rudakubana admitted murdering Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe.

Following the murders, riots broke out across the UK after false claims had spread online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat