CRIMINALPractice - indecency offences - appropriate trial venue where defendant aged 14R v B (A Minor): CA (Kay LJ, McCombe J and Judge Peter Crawford QC): 16 January 2001The appellant, B, a boy of 14, was convicted on 23 June 2000 in the Crown Court of offences relating to allegations of indecency against very young children.

He appealed against conviction, principally challenging a ruling rejecting his submission of no case to answer.Robin Johnson for the appellant.

Justin Gau (instructed by the Crown Prosecution Service) for the Crown.Held, dismissing the appeal, that it was disturbing that such a case had been tried in the Crown Court and not the youth court; that it was not in the interests of the defendant or, more importantly, of the very young complainants, for evidence to be given in the more formal and demanding circumstances of the Crown Court; and that it was not clear why it should have occurred, particularly where it could not have been thought that the powers of the justices in the youth court were inadequate.