Reporting on Youth Court Cases in the UK | UK JournoHub

Last reviewed: 17 May 2026Next review due: 17 November 2026

What is the youth court reporting framework?

Youth courts deal with criminal cases involving defendants aged 10–17. They sit in magistrates’ courts but are not open to the general public — only parties, their legal representatives, court staff, accredited journalists, and those with the court’s permission may attend. The default position is that under-18s who are involved in proceedings as defendants or witnesses must not be identified.

There are two main statutory provisions. Section 49 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 imposes an automatic restriction in the youth court: no report of proceedings may include the name, address, school, or any particulars calculated to lead to identification of any person under 18 who is concerned in the proceedings (as defendant, witness, or victim). Section 45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 gives adult courts a discretionary power to impose similar anonymity on witnesses and victims under 18 in their proceedings — this requires the court to make an order.

“This section applies (subject to subsection (2)) in relation to—”

Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, s.45 — Power to restrict reporting of criminal proceedings involving persons under 18legislation.gov.ukE+W+NI

When this matters for journalists

1You are covering a knife crime case in the youth court — s.49 automatically applies and neither the defendant nor any under-18 witness can be identified.
2A 17-year-old is charged alongside an 18-year-old adult in the Crown Court — the adult court has discretion under s.45 YJCEA to protect the young person.
3A young person is convicted in the youth court of a serious violent offence — a s.49 order may be lifted by the court in the public interest on application, but you must wait for that order.
4You are writing about a victim of a serious crime who is under 18 — s.49 protects the victim's identity too, not just the defendant.
5A 19-year-old is convicted of an offence committed when they were 17 — the restriction may still apply in respect of their identity at the time.
6A school friend posts identifying information on social media — this does not lift the restriction and you remain bound by it.

What you can and cannot report

You CAN report

✓The nature/type of offence charged
✓The court name and location
✓The sentence or disposal (e.g. youth rehabilitation order)
✓Details of the offending behaviour that do not identify the individual
✓The outcome of any application to lift the restriction

You CANNOT report (without a lifting order)

✗Name of any under-18 defendant, witness, or victim
✗Address or area of residence
✗School or college attended
✗Photograph or image
✗Distinctive physical description
✗Family members' names if identification likely
✗Social media handles or usernames
✗Anything that, combined with other details, leads to ID (jigsaw)

Red flags to watch for

The defendant appears young — always verify age with the court or clerk before filing copy.
A case is listed in the youth court — s.49 applies automatically; you do not need a separate order.
A co-defendant is an adult — the case may be in Crown Court with a s.45 discretionary order.
You are covering a high-profile case where the young person's name is circulating on social media.
A parent, teacher, or relative is named in the story — check whether naming them enables ID of the child.
You are writing about a victim or witness who may be under 18, even if not the defendant.
The offence is of a sexual nature — both s.49 and sexual offence anonymity provisions may apply simultaneously.

Pre-publication checklist

I have confirmed the age of every defendant, witness, and victim in the proceedings.
I have confirmed whether the case is in the youth court (automatic s.49) or adult court (check for s.45 order).
My copy contains no name, address, school, photo, or description that could identify an under-18.
I have checked whether any family member names I am including could identify the young person.
I have checked whether any s.45 YJCEA order is in force in the adult court covering this case.
I am satisfied that public-domain social media posts do not lift the legal restriction.
I have sought judicial direction (or taken legal advice) before naming anyone in the public interest.
I have considered whether jigsaw identification is possible from the combination of details in my story.

Reporting restrictions tool

Run through our interactive reporting restrictions checklist to identify which restrictions apply to your specific case before you file.

Open Reporting Restrictions Checklist

Common mistakes

Assuming naming is fine because the person turned 18 between offence and trial — get judicial confirmation.
Publishing a photo posted on the young person's own social media — the s.49 restriction is not lifted by their own disclosure.
Naming a parent or sibling without considering whether this leads to the child's identification.
Reporting the school or local area in combination with other details that amount to jigsaw ID.
Failing to check whether a s.45 order exists in an adult court — the youth court is not the only arena with restrictions.
Publishing a gallery of images from a scene where the young person is visible, even without being named.
Thinking the restriction only protects defendants — it covers victims and witnesses too.

Related guides

Reporting Restrictions Overview

All major UK court reporting restrictions in one guide.

Family Court Reporting

Transparency orders and protecting children in family proceedings.

Contempt of Court

Active proceedings and the substantial risk test.

Journalism Ethics

The ethical framework around covering cases involving young people.

Primary sources

Frequently asked questions

Does section 49 CYPA 1933 apply if a young person turns 18 before the trial?

The restriction applies if the person was under 18 at the time of the alleged offence or during the proceedings. If a defendant turns 18 during youth court proceedings, the court can lift the restriction on application. Always check the current age AND the age at the time of offence, and seek judicial direction before naming.

Can I name a young offender after they have been convicted and sentenced?

Not automatically. In the youth court, the s.49 restriction continues after conviction unless the court specifically lifts it in the public interest. In an adult court, where a juvenile is tried alongside adults, s.45 YJCEA 1999 gives the court discretion to impose anonymity — and that order may survive conviction. Always check the current status of any order.

What is jigsaw identification and why does it matter for youth court cases?

Jigsaw identification is where individually innocuous details — town, age, school, sport, distinctive physical feature — can be assembled by readers to identify an anonymous person. It is illegal to publish anything 'likely to lead members of the public to identify' the young person. You can be prosecuted even if you did not name them, if the combination of details you published enables ID.

Does the anonymity restriction apply to the young person's family?

Yes, indirectly. Publishing the parent's name can lead to identification of the child, especially in small communities. Courts have held that naming relatives in a way that effectively identifies the child breaches the restriction. Take particular care when the family is publicly known.

Can I report what offence a young person was charged with?

You can report the nature of the offence and the court's location, but you must not publish anything that identifies (or is likely to identify) the young person. In practice this means stripping out name, photo, school, area of residence, distinctive descriptors, and anything else that would combine to enable ID.