Boy who stabbed Barbie dolls should go into care, judge rules

A seven-year-old boy who stabbed Barbie dolls and made gestures to cut their throats should go into council care, a family court judge has ruled.

The youngster arrived in the UK when he was three from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Judge Judith Moir heard.

Social workers raised concerns about his welfare and he has been placed with a foster carer pending long-term decisions about his future.

A foster carer noted his behaviour towards dolls and said he displayed "inappropriate sexual behaviour" towards another child.

Social workers think that he was abused when living in Africa and had "experienced incidents of serious violence and trauma".

Judge Moir has decided that he should go into care on a long-term basis.

Detail of the case has emerged in a ruling by the judge following a family court hearing in Newcastle upon Tyne.

She said the boy could not be identified.

"There were ... concerns about inappropriate sexual behaviour," said Judge Moir in her ruling.

"There were also concerns about the behaviour of the boy where he would take a knife and stab Barbie dolls and make gestures to cut their throats."