POLICE Scotland is facing calls to end the use of Tasers on children in custody amid a dearth of data on the use of force on children and young people.

The call came from Scotland’s Children and Young People’s Commissioner Nicola Killean after she had investigated the use of Tasers, incapacitating spray, spit hoods, bite guards, strip searches, and “empty hand” techniques including punches and kicks by police to retrain children.

The commissioner’s report found that Tasers had been used 43 times on children in 2023-24, including 16 times on children with mental health issues, 12 against care experienced children, and 10 against children with a learning disability or autism.

Over the same period there were 262 strip searches of children and 148 occasions where children were fitted with spit hoods and bite guards, but Ms Killean found data gaps in areas such as age and disability she argues hamper scrutiny.

Urging police to take on board her 21 recommendations including ending the use of Tasers on children, she said: “When children come into contact with the police, for whatever reason, they should be treated first and foremost as children.

“Every statistic is a real child who may have had a traumatic experience of being struck, or strip searched, or even Tasered.”

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “Where children come into conflict with the law, it is vital that their rights are respected and appropriate protections are in place.

“While decisions on proportionate policing and recording practices are operational matters for the chief constable, we will carefully consider the report.”

Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton insisted: “Human rights are at the heart everything we do, and we will carefully review and consider the recommendations.”