Marcus Mazzucco

May 26, 2024 | dailymaverick.co.za | Peter Donnelly |Marcus Mazzucco

THE CONVERSATION With sports such as skateboarding and gymnastics at the Olympics, where athletes as young as 13 can compete, the rights of children must be maintained. Imagine this scenario: a 15-year-old child is caught consuming cannabis in public and charged with an offence. If the child is found guilty, the court has discretion to order an absolute discharge to avoid convicting the child, or to convict the child but excuse the payment of a fine under certain conditions.

May 20, 2024 | theconversation.com | Peter Donnelly |Marcus Mazzucco

Imagine this scenario: a 15-year-old child is caught consuming cannabis in public and is charged with an offence. If the child is found guilty, the court has discretion to order an absolute discharge to avoid convicting the child, or to convict the child but excuse the payment of a fine under certain conditions. There would be a publication ban to protect the identity of the child.