Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

Can a ice rink member of staff search a minor?

18 replies

AltinkumATEalltheTurkey · 14/01/2013 07:58

My 10 year old cousin went ice skating, and was frisked and searched for alcohol and weapons!!??!!

No parent was present? (Was a friends birthday get together)

Now in my old work, I couldn't search a minor, I could ask them, but if they said no I'd have to get LG or police present?

???

OP posts:

VivaLeBeaver · 14/01/2013 08:02

Did the minor consent or was it done against their will? The latter would surely be assault. Not sure about the former.

Original poster

AltinkumATEalltheTurkey · 14/01/2013 08:09

I think she was told be searched or don't gain entry, she said she didn't want to be searched, or have her bag searched she's just started her periods so had liners in her pocket and in her bag, as her bag was going in a locker) which they got out and put on the table, poor mite cries herself to sleep as she was mortified none of her friends have tarted theirs yet--

She didn't want to give consent but was conceded into it. As her m wasn't picking her up for another 2 hrs.

OP posts:

Original poster

AltinkumATEalltheTurkey · 14/01/2013 08:09

Mum

OP posts:

YourHandInMyHand · 14/01/2013 08:10

On my old job this would have been a no no too. Poor girl.

VivaLeBeaver · 14/01/2013 08:40

That's the problem, they'll just turn round and say she had the choice to be searched or not to be but have to go home. So they'll say she consented.

I know airports are a bit different as they have the power to search people but they do pat downs of small kids. Dd has been frisked before.

So I guess if you either have authority or consent then you can do.

TandB · 14/01/2013 08:43

Yes, they can do it as long as she consents, which she did.

They can set entry requirements for their own premises - if one of those is to consent to a search then the customer has the option to not be searched and not go in.

SantasENormaSnob · 14/01/2013 08:48

I didn't think a 10 year old could legally consent?

malteserzz · 14/01/2013 08:51

That's awful I can imagine how mortified she would be when they got everything out if I was her mum I'd be giving them a ring

TandB · 14/01/2013 08:56

I'm not aware of any legal age of consent for things like agreeing to be searched. But given that 10 is the legal age of criminal responsibility it is highly unlikely to be an issue.

It's a shame she's upset but the centre haven't actually behaved illegally. You can't have a situation where they over a barrell to simply admit anyone who refuses to a search - otherwise they can't have any effective security policy.

FryOneFatManic · 14/01/2013 08:59

This is an ice rink, so I'm not sure the staff had any powers to search, same as security guards in shops.

babadeems · 14/01/2013 09:03

Was there no parent present at all - not one of the other girls'? Could she not have quietly explained why she didn't want to be searched to the staff member and asked if it could be done away from the others? If there was no other parent present and she didn't feel confident enough to stop the staff member and ask for help I'd question if she should have been left alone with her friends anyway. What if it was something else that got in the way of skating, like she had bad period pains and she still had to wait 2 hours for pick up? Either she's mature & informed enough to handle a fairly normal situation like that or she shouldn't have been left with no parent/adult present.

TheFallenNinja · 14/01/2013 09:08

If everyone gets searched and it is conducted in a business like manner then I don't see a problem.

I would see a problem if I considered it to just be some scrote patting kids down to either impress their boss or get there jollys.

They have the prerogative to set terms of entry and if they find stuff that shouldn't be going into an ice rink then fair play. I suspect it's more about making sure that people have to buy drinks and snacks once inside rather than a more noble reason.

annh · 14/01/2013 09:54

Was everyone's bag searched? Is this standard procedure at the rink? And why were a bunch of 10 year olds left on their own ice skating? I would have been unhappy if it was my dd at the party, both about the search and the lack of supervision.

Allonsy · 14/01/2013 10:15

When i used to go to an under 18's club at 13 ish we were searched, bags, shoes etc but we had to consent and a woman done the girls and a man the boys there was 2 seperate lines for it.

squeakytoy · 14/01/2013 10:24

I live not too far from Streatham. The skating rink there has had a fair few incidents including fatal ones, involving guns, knives and drugs. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that these are smuggled in via younger children who are more likely to get past security.

Sadly we live in an era where security staff do need to be extra vigilant, and if it means a ten year old gets searched, then so be it. They are not being asked to strip naked, they are being asked to show what is in their bag for heavens sakes. It really is not a big deal.

I am damn sure if your child got access to alcohol or was injured, you would be demanding to know how the drink or weapon got in there and why people were not searched..

yellowsnownoteatwillyou · 14/01/2013 10:31

I used to work security in an ice rink and did used to search kids, as it was an under 18s ice disco.

It was females searching females and males searching males.

I generally didn't touch them but they did have to take off jackets an open bags in order to get in.

I knew the ones that were hiding alcohol as I was only 18 and had been doing the same thing a few years before.

It's just something that happens now, if the management have a sign saying you can be searched you will be.

notsofrownieface · 14/01/2013 10:38

It depends on who was searching, if it was a police officer then fine if it was a rent a cop aka a private security firm or the rinks own staff then they have no authority to search.

Did a female member of staff do the search?

yellowsnownoteatwillyou · 14/01/2013 10:38

Also this was in 2001 so it's not a new thing.

Flip