Police use of taser guns on children comes under fire

Statistics released in parliament reveal that in 2007 there were 11 incidents of stun guns used against under-18s.

That rose to 17 in the first eight months of 2008.

Tasers fire barbs into the skin that give a 50,000-volt charge to temporarily disable suspects.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said the weapons should not be used on children given the concerns that they are potentially lethal.

"Police officers must be able to protect themselves, but these weapons have killed more than 300 people in the United States and should not be issued to untrained officers," he said.

"We need an in-depth inquiry into the use of tasers before they become commonplace on British streets. We must not slide down a slippery slope towards fully-armed, US-style policing."