Assault & harassment not taken seriously. pr47hbridge?

[passthebuck]

Hello,

I've been told by a friend to see if I can catch pr47bridgefor help with this. I hope you don't mind, pr47.

In a nutshell, a couple of weeks ago my teen was assaulted by G, a fellow college student. The assault occurred out of college grounds and not in college time, the police are investigating it as a crime but the college are giving inappropriate advice and not being responsible imho.

There's a third party involved. This is N, a friend of the culprit, who has been threatening my teen with violence (threats to kill) since the assault took place. My DC has taken police advice to warn N not to make contact any more or the police will be informed on the grounds of harassment, N has persisted, the police are aware (but nothing done yet as the DC in charge of the case doesn't return to duty until next week).

N has turned up at college to meet up with G and to threaten my DC. N is NOT a student at the college yet has been seen in the canteen with G. As soon as I was aware of this happening I informed college security, so did my DC. College security were later informed that N was hanging around the college's smoking area and were informed of it at the time. It seems they found and removed N as my DC later got a text saying something along the lines of "You think you're clever telling security I'm there, I'll get you for it".

My concern is this: On Friday my teen received a phone call from the college's Learner & Tutorial Liaison Officer, who gave some advice. This was primarily that my DC should avoid the areas in college where the two parties, both the other student AND the non student, would be.

I'm fuming. My DC is the victim and is being told that they cannot go to certain areas or walk in certain corridors not just because the attacker is there but because the person who is threatening to kill and who isn't even supposed to be on the premises is there, including in the canteen!

Where do I start? What book do I throw at them first? A victim being discriminated against? A whole college security issue which OFSTED might be interested in, i.e. that the college knowingly allows non members to wander about it? A question of where in the job description of this staff member it says she is qualified to give such "advice"? (I've looked at the job description. It says the role includes promotion of H&S of young people and ensuring that H&S policies are fully implemented but says nothing of being required to advise students on their security).

Please can you tell me what the college SHOULD be saying and doing and what I can do to ensure that they stop passing the buck without losing my temper completely? My gut instinct is to make an appointment to see the Principal immediately, tear him and the Liaison officer a new one, make a formal complaint, inform OFSTED of the breaches of security happening with staff knowledge and god knows what else but I suspect I'm overreacting.

A little bit.

Your advice, prh47bridge, and that of anyone else who can help will be very much appreciated.

I'd say that your child needs to go back to the police and show them the texts that N is sending as this is more than harassment, it's threats and N isn't very intelligent leaving evidence. The police need to act on this. Not sure about the college.

What an awful situation for both your DC and yourself to be in! It must be difficult and frustrating for you not to blow your top! Try to keep it smooth like jazz for the moment . I think the way to go is to approach the school in a very matter-of-fact way to insist on your DCs rights.

To answer you question about what the college should be saying/doing - answer is simple; a lot more!

First of all; the school are duty bound to protect your DC from harm or harassment whilst they are on school grounds. Look at their own anti-bullying harassment polices and quote it at them. It matters not where the original incident happened outside of college hours. Whilst your DC in under they supervision - there is a duty of care there. They need to look at their security measures if there are non-college goers hanging around causing trouble and cavorting around in a plume of fag-ash! (blerg!). You need to feel safe in continuing to send you DC in and the school should be helping with this.

The pastoral support of the school is there to provide advice for general bullying etc issues; but they are not qualified to give out advice on what to do with situations that are being investigated by the police. Most professionals are asked not to intervene/ask questions on elements that are being investigated because leading questions can muddy evidence later. The police intervention supersedes the school.

I would be asking about the role of security on the premises and what powers they have. If this is not enough; then you could always suggest that a community police officer visits (that should kick start then a little).

I would also ask what has been said to the illeged attacker. I would hope that they have both been warned to stay away from each other - rather than it just being your DC. What are the school doing to monitor the whereabouts of each of the parties?

Finally; if you need your DC to be protected on a longer term basis; why not do some research on Non-Molestation Orders). To get one would mean going via the police or courts but stipulations could be put in place which the school would also have to cooperate with.

Hope this helps?

"the police are aware (but nothing done yet as the DC in charge of the case doesn't return to duty until next week). "

WHAT! Are they mad!! If your son was attacked and seriously hurt would they say " Yeh, we knew it was on the cards, but Fred was on his holiday that week so we couldn't do anything, could we?"!

Sorry for not responding until now, a visitor turned up. Thank you all ever so much.

I've just learned that the Detective Constable who's dealing with the case will be back tomorrow so that's a start. He's taking over from the PC who took the statement and who went on 2 weeks leave the day after!

So I wouldn't be a complete idiot to get the Liaison Officer woman to confirm (in writing) what she actually said wrt avoiding the aggressor and the aggressor's non-student sidekick and take the college to task on it?

The police and security apparently have a good working relationship. It's a very big city college (post 16 and evening adult education) and the local officers pop in frequently, security told me.

You've a very good question about what the college have told the attacker and what measures they're putting into place to monitor the whereabouts of both parties. I'll ask, thanks.

Can I just check, I thought a non molestation order related to DV cases only? A quick Google refers only to the orders in relation to DV.

Given that the college has not (yet) excluded G and cannot guarantee to keep N off the premises (after all, they are a college, not a high security jail), it may seem to the liaison officer that avoiding the areas where G and N are likely to be found is sensible advice. If all they are doing is offering this advice it is grossly inadequate. They should be doing more both to try and keep N off their premises and keep your son safe while he is on the premises.

It may be, of course, that they are taking actions they feel unable to discuss with you or your son at the moment. For example, it would be inappropriate for them to discuss any disciplinary action they are taking against G. It is even possible that the police have asked them not to take any action while they are investigating. If it were me I would not go in with all guns blazing just yet. I would go and see the liaison officer and discuss things first.

Whatever the college do they certainly cannot keep your son safe when he is off the premises. If I were you I would focus on what the police are doing. They are far better placed than the college to ensure your son's safety at all times and to take action against G and N.

Thank you for your reply, prh47bridge.

In the past hour I've tracked down the DC in charge of the assault case. He's been waiting to hear back from the college to see what they're doing to prevent any further problems and what action they have taken so far. He's now going to chase them up and tells me that he will advise them that warning the victim to avoid certain areas is inadequate and unacceptable.

The DC's still trying to locate some of the witnesses to the attack though they were all friends of the attacker (passers by just kept on walking). The CCTV for the area didn't cover that part so there's nothing to help there and it looks like unless the friends of the attacker are willing to speak out they'll get away with it.

He'll be pursuing the threats and harassment from N and hopes to give a loud and clear message that way, where there IS clear evidence (text and Facebook) and will speak to my DC on the phone tomorrow afternoon to update and find any other ways in which he can help. I'm grateful that he's a sympathetic policeman and, as he said, he believes my teen.

I'm very, very grateful to you too prh47bridge for your calm and measured advice, and to everyone else who has been so supportive here as well.

Hope it turns our better for both of you from this point. It must be a relief to have a good policeman on your side. Take Care

I hope the police and college between them sort this out. The college's priority should be ensuring your son's safety. I hope they are doing something effective or, if not, that the police's involvement will get them moving.

Thank you very much.

I just thought that I'd give a quick update.

N was in the college today and went to where my DC studies trying to locate my DC. DC didn't want to make the situation worse so ignored and did nothing, asking me to call security to tell them this afternoon.

Talking to security it transpired that N is a recent one day a week access student and so there is something the college can do about it to an extent. Security have copies of the threatening texts sent to my DC and have said today that they are going to compare the phone number the messages have come from with the one they have on file for N. They're then going to liaise with the police and pass any information on.

The police have spoken to DC today and said that a separate complaint must be made about the threats from N so DC is going to lodge that on Friday.

Meanwhile security are going to "have a word with N" when next back in the college (believed to be the middle of next week) and do some warning off.

I have made it clear to security that if that fails I'll be meeting with the principal armed with a copy of the Student Handbook, which clearly states that the college will (their words) press for the prosecution of anyone committing a criminal offence on their premises and that any student in this position will also be liable to internal action, and that I'll have no hesitation in insisting that the college abides by its own policies. That may sound draconian but there is a huge back story involving bullying and assault against my DC. I've learned from those experiences and am determined not to see it happen again although of course I hope that it doesn't come to that.