DS was attacked on the way home from school.

[Whatshouldhappenhere]

DS is 12 and in year 8. He would ordinarily get the bus home and should have been on the bus on Tuesday but the bus company sent a small coach and the driver stopped allowing children on once it reached capacity meaning DS had to walk home (50 min walk).

On his way home he overtook three boys from his year. He didn’t know the boys and had never interacted with them before this, he didn’t even know their names. As he walked past them, one of the boys ripped his airpod out of his ear so DS snatched it back, shouted at them and ran away. After a short while, DS could see they weren’t chasing after him so he decided to stop running but then the boy who had snatched the airpod did start running so a chase ensued. When the boy caught up with DS, he proceeded to start punching DS in the face and had punched him 4-5 times before a woman who lived on the street intervened and he ran away.

The woman kindly drove DS home and I took DS to her home yesterday to thank her with some wine and chocolates. She invited us in and told us she witnessed the attack and said the other two boys were there too (this is with no prompt from DS that any other boys were involved). DS didn’t see the other two boys so wasn’t aware they were nearby.

I informed the school as soon as I found out what had happened and they told me they had passed the message onto the student liaison officer who would call me back. I also called 101 and an officer is visiting to take a statement on Saturday. The SLO called me yesterday morning to ask for the full story and said he would speak to DS first thing. It transpired that the boy who attacked DS was expelled before Christmas so the SLO told DS there was nothing the school could do. There was also no attempt to find the other two boys, we still don’t know their names.

I just spoke to the SLO again and he reiterated that they are unable to do anything because the boy has been expelled. When I asked about the other two boys, he simply said that DS has said they weren’t involved so he didn’t feel any further action was necessary. When DS said they weren’t involved, he meant they didn’t attack him but they clearly witnessed it because the woman who helped said there was three boys. The SLO hadn’t even attempted to find out who they are to speak to them which is frustrating in the least.

I’m just really upset it even happened. He should have been on the bus so this situation should never have occurred but obviously he should be safe walking home from school anyway. I’m disappointed with the school’s response as well, it feels as though they just want to wash their hands of it because the main perpetrator is no longer their pupil. Are the school right here or is there anything else I should/could be pushing for? DS is a really great kid who has never been in trouble and would never provoke anyone, he was literally just walking past the wrong people.

StarDolphins the boy is expelled, not suspended, so he is no longer a pupil at that school.

You're right OP. The other boys need to be questioned. If they are still pupils there then the school should support with this. Awful situation.

I disagree with pp, the school do still have a safeguarding responsibility and our school took that view in very similar circumstances. In fact, they reported to the police independently of us, as they said they had a duty to.

Exactly this!

To be fair to the school, there really isn't anything they can do as the boy isn't there anymore. I'd expect the other two to be identified and sanctioned as they were involved.

The assault though is a police matter.

He’ll have been assigned another school by the LA so the new school should bollock him then.

This, along with a telling off from the police - I doubt they’d do more sadly.

Is it worth asking on local FB group for anyone with footage etc to come fwd without going into detail? I would ask someone removed eg a friend asking on behalf to do this? I know the police should chase this footage and cctv from shop but not sure time frame things are kept if they are only going to take a statement on Saturday. I would also take son to GP today or walk in at the minimum in order that injuries are recorded officially, checked and also so they can also help support going forward with any counselling. Photos are great but written professional statement better. Victim support worth a call but police should put you in touch. I'm sorry you've gone through this. I hope your son can see in the future, this as this lads issue not his. I know from experience something like this can destroy confidence long term. Big hugs. Going forward this needs taking further. Restorative justice not appropriate.

I'm so sorry OP this is absolutely shocking. I hope your boy isn't badly hurt.

Whilst I don't think that the school can do anything about the attack - out of school and by a non school pupil - I think it is absolutely appalling that your boy was denied entry to the school bus!

If I were you I would be raising merry hell about that - clearly you won't get anything but an apology as there's not a lot they can do for you now, but I'd hope that you kicking up a stink would mean that questions would be asked of the bus company/procedures in place to avoid something like this happening again.

Really, really poor practice by the school/bus company IMO.

I’m so sorry that your son went through that. How traumatising

my son was mugged when he was a similar age and went to boxing classes after. Not that he wanted to fight but I think it made him feel less helpless

again I’m truly sorry and I hope the police and school deal with it

Absolutely this. The school should definitely speak to the boys that were with him. It might make them think twice about hanging about with this other expelled lad thug. If you stand by and do nothing, you are complicit . Any one remember the film "The accused" with Jodie Foster? The school should try and help, not just say "Not our problem". Honestly some schools are pathetic 🙄

Schools are not law enforcement agencies.

They bloody well think they are when it comes to things like school attendance though!
Got there priorities wrong. They're not really interested in the pupils a lot of the time , it's all about metrics!

Really sorry to hear this happened to your son OP. I just hate it when school's don't want to get involved with tackling bullying. They definitely need to speak to the boys that were with this expelled lad. I'm really Cross on your behalf 🤬

Your poor ds. I don't blame him for grabbing his air pods back, it's a natural reaction and why should that bully be able to just take what he likes off people. Although, I suppose the attacker could have had a knife on him and, unlike the air pods, your son is irreplaceable. I have a teenage son and no matter how many times I tell him to just walk away from any trouble, I know he would also have grabbed his air pods back. Your son is a very brave boy and I hope the police prosecute his attacker. The boys who were with him should also be given a talking to by the school if they were in uniform. It's disgusting that the school are washing their hands of this.

Thank you all for your responses and well wishes.

DS is fine, his face was extremely red when he first got home and he had a smaller red mark as the evening progressed which I thought would turn into a big bruise but it thankfully doesn’t seem to have. I have photos of his face during both stages regardless.

We are going to take him to boxing classes, to help his confidence if nothing else although I do admire how unaffected he seems to be by this whole situation. I think I’d have been seriously shaken up but he seems to have largely taken it on the chin.

I spoke to the bus company and they said they’ve taken on the contract from another provider this week. The previous provider told them they would only require a 35 seat vehicle for that particular route so that was allocated but they now know that isn’t large enough so will be sending a bigger one from today.

I did consider mentioning it on the community page to ask for any doorbell footage, I’ll see if I can find anyone willing to do this on our behalf.

I would have wanted my belongings back too and also think that’s a natural reaction. I don’t think DS thought twice about it really, he just wanted his airpod back so took it.

I don’t think the other two boys should completely get away with it personally. They were there and they did witness it yet haven’t come forward at any point to tell a teacher and didn’t try to stop it at the time. They could both be scared of the perpetrator I suppose but I still think the school should have at least tried to locate them to talk to them.

most people's first reaction is to snatch back though, because you don't expect to be set upon.

The school should be showing a bit more initiative here - if the boy was expelled they presumably know who his friends are, and hopefully the police will ask them that.

Steps:
Continue to chase Police to ensure prosecution, also ask I they are looking at it from a gang angle as a group were involved (higher priority and those other two kids names will get found and they will get a serious visit).
Tell the school you are considering suing them and the bus company and ask them what action they are taking?
Tell the school that you consider the actions if the three boys to be gang activity and if they have expelled one member they better know who else was involved, say you know you may not be able to be told who they are but they better sort it, or you will log the matter with OFSTED as a potential school gang problem.

They will act if made to act.

Really sorry for your son, I hope this doesn't effect him too much. Absolute scum bags.

Maybe slightly unethical but if you can find out the name of the boy who is expelled and you can search for his friends on social media. Your son or the witness might recognise them.

I just wanted to update because the police visited earlier. The police officer was here for no more than 5 minutes. He asked DS what happened and said he’ll speak to the boy and his parents now. I asked why it wouldn’t be taken any further and he said because they don’t like to drag children through the legal system for what was probably a heat of the moment thing. He said if DS ever did anything like this, he’s sure I wouldn’t want his life to be ruined forever over it. I said yes but DS wouldn’t do this yet this boy has and he’s already been expelled from school too.

I feel really let down tbh. The school can’t act because the boy was expelled a few weeks ago and the police won’t act other than having a conversation with him. It was assault and if the woman hadn’t intervened, who knows what would have happened. It’s really rubbish.

I'd put a complaint in that your son was assaulted and it not dealt with. And yes if it were my child, I absolutely would want him hauled up in court over it as I would have clearly failed in raising him if he did something like that.

The boy that attacked your son clearly had done something so awful that the school was left with no option but to expel him from their school.
The then ramps things up by attacking your son, unprovoked, and will just get a stern talking to.
What is next for this perpetrator??? He's clearly escalating from whatever happened in school to this.

Now I'm all for erring on the side of caution here and trying to give children the right to grow up without interacting with the legal system and supporting them but it seems that this 12 yr old is, and I hate even suggesting this, getting to a point that they will have to interact with the legal system.

You could bring a civil case against him for actual bodily harm and mental anguish. This would have to be done privately though as going through the police may not result in any sort of case being brought through them. If I were you, I'd ask to speak with the community police officer and get their advice. Then I'd speak with a solicitor. See what could be done.

I wish your son every strength to get through this and to you too.

The police are pretty useless nowadays. It shouldn't be up to the police whether they press charges or not, a crime as been committed and the criminal should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The alternative is to keep letting him mug people until he's an adult and then lock him up.

Their reaction is awful! Surely if your DS, who’s the victim, wants it to go further then it should. It was hardly heat of the moment if the boy firstly stole his property then attacked him.

would your DS recognise the other two boys?

How awful op..... Your poor son😢 I hope the police do something and the 2 boys who were there and stood and watched needs to be sorted out also.

This is not a school matter. It’s a police matter. Don’t look to the school for any other action than to make your ds safe at school. A similar incident happened to my ds in year 9. The witnesses called 999 so the police dealt with it from the beginning. They told us the action they would take would depend on the assailants’ previous contact with the police. Two out of three boys were charged but the third wasn’t as he’d had no previous contact.
Unfortunately the trial collapsed as we were given the wrong date. The charges were dismissed without the key witness. The two boys still go around smacking younger boys about. They haven’t learned their lesson and no one wants to ‘snitch’.