Members of the NI Policing Board told investigative news and analysis website The Detail that they continue to have concerns despite the force establishing a new “accountability panel” last year.

A total of 27 children were strip searched by the PSNI in 2021, of whom only one was accompanied by an appropriate adult. Items of interest were found in three cases; drugs on two occasions and a mobile phone on the other.

Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland programme director, said: “The use of strip searches on children is a serious violation of their human rights and dignity.

“This ongoing practice raises serious questions about the PSNI’s commitment to human rights and the UK’s obligations under international human rights law to uphold the rights of the child, despite concerns raised by Policing Board members and children’s rights organisations.

“Strip searching children is just one area where we have concerns about the PSNI’s use of intrusive policing powers, alongside their use of spit and bite guards, and stop and search.

“Rather than establishing a panel to review each case of a child being strip searched, the PSNI should simply end this shocking practice immediately.”