(1) A police officer may caution a child or young person for a caution offence if—
(a) the police officer believes on reasonable grounds that the child or young person is committing, or has committed, the offence; and
(b) the child or young person has not been cautioned in the preceding 12 months for a caution offence.
(2) A caution must—
(a) be in writing; and
(b) state—
(i) the date of issue of the caution; and
(ii) the caution offence that the police officer believes the child or young person is committing, or has committed; and
(iii) the grounds for the police officer's belief; and
(c) warn the child or young person that if the child or young person engages in behaviour that constitutes a further caution offence within 12 months after the date of issue of the caution, the child or young person may be prosecuted for the further offence; and
(d) be signed by the police officer.
(3) A police officer who issues a caution must—
(a) keep the caution in the police records; and
(b) give a copy of the caution to—
(i) the child or young person; and
(ii) a person with parental responsibility for the child or young person; and
(iii) if the CYP director-general has parental responsibility (whether shared or otherwise) for the child or young person—the CYP director-general; and
(iv) the commissioner.
Note A copy of the caution must be given to the person as soon as possible (see Legislation Act
, s 151B).
(4) If a child or young person is cautioned for an offence, the child or young person must not be prosecuted in a court for the offence.