When, at the time a person becomes a suspect or accused person in criminal proceedings, that person has reached the age of 18, but the criminal offence was committed when the person was a child, Member States are encouraged to apply the procedural safeguards provided for by this Directive until that person reaches the age of 21, at least as regards criminal offences that are committed by the same suspect or accused person and that are jointly investigated and prosecuted as they are inextricably linked to criminal proceedings which were initiated against that person before the age of 18.
Den Mitgliedstaaten wird nahegelegt, in Fällen, in denen eine Person zu dem Zeitpunkt, zu dem sie einer Straftat verdächtigt oder beschuldigt wird, das 18. Lebensjahr bereits vollendet hat, die Straftat jedoch begangen worden war, als die Person ein Kind war, die in dieser Richtlinie vorgesehenen Verfahrensgarantien anzuwenden, bis die betreffende Person das 21.
