A ‘DISGUSTED’ mum has pulled her six-year-old daughter out of a Blackburn primary school after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by a boy of the same age.

The girl claims she was abused by the boy in the playground and classroom - but police are powerless to act as the age of criminal responsibility in England is 10.

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Her mother criticised the school’s bosses for a lack of action against the boy, and making her daughter ‘feel like she was in the wrong’.

Police confirmed they received a report of the issue but that any action was the responsibility of the school and social services.

Blackburn with Darwen Council said it was currently working to support those involved.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has now started classes at another primary school.

Her livid mum said there needed to be a change in the law as children were becoming ‘sexualised’ at a younger age and cases should be thoroughly investigated.

She said: “I informed the school and social services straight away, and rang the police. I had to keep her off school because the school said it was appropriate for the boy to remain in classes.

“They said they needed to speak to the boy’s parents and find out his side of the story.

“My daughter didn’t really understand how bad it was. It has left her feeling very vulnerable. The way the school has acted makes her feel like she was in the wrong.”

In England, children under 10 cannot be arrested or charged with a crime as the law sees them as incapable of committing such acts.

But the alleged victim’s mum questioned the level of supervision in the school after her daughter described incidents in the playground and the classroom.

She said: “I have moved her to a different school. I wasn’t happy with the head teacher. I want it investigated properly.

“It concerns me that if this is happening under the noses of staff, what level of supervision is there? It needs to be addressed.

“The head teacher told me that teachers were informed but welfare staff - the dinner ladies - weren’t. How can the welfare staff look out for the children’s welfare if they aren’t informed? That really disappointed me.

“You don’t expect to send your child to school and something like this to happen. The police said because he is under 10 there is nothing they can do but I think that’s wrong.

“What has to happen for it to change? How would they feel if it were their daughter? Other parents need to be aware of this too.

“The NSPCC was saying recently about the number of children addicted to porn and this is the sort of sexualisation that can lead to.”

A Lancashire police spokesman confirmed that they received a report of sexual assault from the girl’s mother.

He said: “It was reported to us, but, given the ages of both the girl and the boy, it will be dealt with by the school and social services.”

Jon Brown, the NSPCC’s lead on tackling sexual abuse, said: “A person under 10 cannot be held criminally responsible for their acts and a child under this age should not be arrested or treated as a criminal.

“Children who are suspected of behaviour that would, otherwise, be criminal may be showing signs that raise concerns about their welfare and this may need to be investigated so that appropriate support can be put into place, either for the child or for those who care for them.”

Blackburn with Darwen Council said it was aware of an issue regarding a Blackburn school and was currently working to support those involved.