A 12-YEAR-OLD Aboriginal boy will face a children's court today charged with receiving a stolen Freddo frog.

The chocolate frog, allegedly shoplifted by the accused child's friend from a Coles supermarket in regional Western Australia, usually retails for about 70 cents.

The boy, who has no prior convictions, also faces a second charge involving the receipt of a small novelty sign from another store. The sign, which was also allegedly given to the boy by his friend, read: ''Do not enter, genius at work''.

The boy's lawyer, Peter Collins, had lobbied WA police for the charges to be withdrawn but authorities had failed to respond to his written request, he said. ''It's scandalous that a 12-year-old child should be subject to prosecution for a case of this type.''

Mr Collins said when the boy last month missed a court date due to a family misunderstanding, police had apprehended him about 8am on a school day and taken him into custody. The boy was then imprisoned for several hours in the holding cell at the local police station.

The boy will appear at the Northam Children's Court, about 100 kilometres from Perth.