Cyber bullying by a 17 year old

[trinni]

My ds is being bullied, both physically and via text, facebook etc by a boy who is 17 and several years older than my ds. It has been building over several months but has escalated during the last three weeks.

It has extended to banging on windows (upstairs windows!) at our house and throwing bricks into our garden. I know the family and have spoken to the parents - both are unable/unwilling to control him.

I reported this to the police yesterday and are waiting for them to call. In the meantime, I have spoken to the child protection officer at the school where I work. She has given good advice and has suggested that the police have the power to remove his electronic equipment and also to actually take this bully to a police cell to talk to him (rather than in the comfort of his own home) can this be true? I'd like to think it was - he is however, only 17 but he needs to understand the seriousness of what he has done.

Any advice would be gratefully received as waiting to talk to the police is really driving me mad!

[Wommer]

The police could certainly talk to him.
Although I don't think cyber bullying itself is a crime yet in the uk bloody should be! there are other laws that he is breaking - malicious communication and potentially vandalism and antisocial behaviour and the police could use these.

Really good luck op - feel for you on this one. Really glad your ds can talk to you about this tho.

[trinni]

Thank you Wommer - you sound very knowledgeable.

I agree that cyber bullying should be a crime in the UK; so many dreadful things happen to children as a direct result.

And yes, fortunately the dc's and I always work together and I hope, with the help of the police, I can make it better.

Doesn't stop me want to throttle the hateful little sod though