10 Year Old Declan Sables, charged with assaulting teacher and has DNA sample taken by South Australian Police.

POLICE have the DNA samples of more than 4500 children under the age of 18 in the state's criminal database.

The figures have emerged after Declan Sables, a 10-year-old autistic boy from Orroroo, was asked to provide a DNA sample to police after he assaulted a teacher at his school.

The request was made after Declan was charged with aggravated assault for throwing a bag of 20c pieces at his principal. Thank god he didn't point a pencil at the teacher, he would have been charged with attempted murder WITH a deadly weapon.

Declan's stepfather Gary Rubben said an autistic boy having to provide his DNA to police was "despicable". YES, the person who authorised this should be sacked.

"He's a 10-year-old child with a disability - for him to be treated like this is absolutely despicable," he told Channel Nine.

"It's still a traumatic thing for a ten year old."

Police informed the family that a sample of the boy's DNA would no longer be required. Duh, well, why did you take it in the first place?

Because maybe SAPOL want to build Australia's biggest and best DNA database, and they don't give a stuff or care how they get that database together. Stuff being innocent, that doesn't matter!

Any person suspected of committing a serious offence can be asked to provide a DNA sample to police.

It's interesting that South Australian Police (SAPOL) seem always to hide what is regarded as a "serious offence" from the public. This gives them huge leeway when it comes to collecting DNA from every soul possible. It's more like a "We'll get your DNA now, so if you commit an offence when your 30 and you leave DNA, we've already got you marked".

To me, a serious offence is rape, murder, robbery or assault with a deadly weapon etc. It's not a 10 year old with a bag of 20 cent pieces. It just goes to show if you don't stick up for your rights, the police will try and walk all over you. They'll take what they can when they can, in fact, it's almost criminal.

I put it to any member of the police force to write a comment on this blog and state for the record just exactly what constitutes a 'serious offence'. And no bullshit, just put it plain laymans terms.

Samples can be taken from a person when they reach the age of offending relevant to the criminal law, which is 10 years old.

Police said very few DNA samples were taken from children aged 10 to 12 years of age and an application could be made by the child or their guardian for the destruction of the DNA.

I would seriously suggest to anybody charged with a minor offence and asked (= demanded) to give a DNA sample, to fight for their right as to what is considered a serious offence, and demand the sample be destroyed.

It's about civil liberties and having respect for people in society. Not treating them all as though they are guilty, "so prove your innocent", type attitude.

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