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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think "neighbour" has assaulted my child

719 replies

BubbleBathAddict · 06/02/2016 08:17

Basically my 11 year old son was in a group of school friends yesterday after school. On the way home from the park they played "knock down ginger" -ie they knocked on a couple of front doors quite near us and ran away. Now this is not something I was aware of or would condone, but on the scale of "crime" it's not something to get too excited about.

My son said he did not do the knocking and stayed on the pavement.
At the second house the woman came out and yelled. The boys ran. All of them more quickly than my son it seems. Half way home (a few houses only) he felt someone grab his wrist and the said woman insisted he tell her where he live and frog-marched him home. He was in tears. I was at work, but his dad and older brother were in.

I do not know the woman at all. She apparently said her children were scared. I am pretty furious that she thought it was OK to grab and intimidate a child. That might have been appropriate 40 years ago, but these days touching anyone without consent is battery isn't it?

I don't want to over-react, but will be going over there today. What would you do?

OP posts:
youdontknowmebut · 06/02/2016 08:19

The woman would get both barrels from me. No one should lay a hand on anyone, regardless. She most definitely assaulted your son.

MuttonWasAGoose · 06/02/2016 08:19

Legally, you're right. But your son deserved it.

GernotMinke · 06/02/2016 08:19

I don't think the woman has done anything wrong at all

acasualobserver · 06/02/2016 08:19

Reprimand my son for his anti-social behaviour.

ElsaAintAsColdAsMe · 06/02/2016 08:21

I would go and apologise to the woman for my sons behaviour.

Only1scoop · 06/02/2016 08:21

Maybe it happens all the time and she's sick of it.

Maybe she did over react, but your DC and his friends were well out of order.

TurnOffTheTv · 06/02/2016 08:21

Your son shouldn't have been pissing about. Battery? Really?

CaoNiMao · 06/02/2016 08:21

It's not 'assault'. That's ridiculous. It takes a village, etc.

BatteryOperatedBoyfriend · 06/02/2016 08:22

I suspect from her reaction that it's not the first time it has happened to her.
I hope he has leant his lesson.

NarcyCow · 06/02/2016 08:22

I'd apologise to her and ground him if I were you.

StealthPolarBear · 06/02/2016 08:23

" touching anyone without consent is battery isn't it?"
Really? That's going to be useful when people brush past me in the street

ChubbyPolecat · 06/02/2016 08:23

Your son deserved it. Whoever was in the houses could have been ill and sleeping, sleeping off a night shift, had poor mobility to make getting g to the door a struggle. But as long as your kid had a giggle eh?

Personally I think you should be taking your kid round there with you to apologise for his behaviour

SeventyNineBottlesOfWine · 06/02/2016 08:24

Recently I've had groups of 10-11 year old boys banging on my windows and fence.
Sometimes they're out quite late at night (10pm) and it scares me to death when there's suddenly a loud bang on the window.
The first time it happened I couldn't see how old they were and I was petrified. It's just me at home and two young children. My youngest thought someone was going to come and get her.
If I'd have been able to frogmarch one of them hone I'm afraid to say I'd have done the same.

Longdistance · 06/02/2016 08:24

Anti social of your son and his friends, regardless if he was involved. He should have left his friends.

He could be knocking on vulnerable people's doors.

Your son deserved it. I'd hope he'd think twice before getting involved in this type of anti social behaviour.

LaurieFairyCake · 06/02/2016 08:25

"Grab his wrist and frog marched him home"

Exactly what I would have done at this anti social behaviour.

hesterton · 06/02/2016 08:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Chicagomd · 06/02/2016 08:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Savagebeauty · 06/02/2016 08:26

Serves him right.
Hope he's learned his lesson.

SilkandSteel · 06/02/2016 08:27

If this was me I also would going over there today - with my son to apologise for his behaviour

Lightbulbon · 06/02/2016 08:27

Good on her for standing up to little pests like your ds.

If he can't take the consequences don't do the deeds!

PurpleDaisies · 06/02/2016 08:27

Your son and his friends were the ones in the wrong. If my son had done that I'd be grounding him, not talking about how he had been "assaulted" (ie brought home). Some people (especially the elderly) find it really terrifying when the door goes in the evening. The lesson to be learnt should be that knock down ginger is unacceptable behaviour, not sue the neighbour.

Nosnowjustrain · 06/02/2016 08:28

I would make my son go over and apologise for his part in the antisocial and intimidating behaviour.

OhShutUpThomas · 06/02/2016 08:28

'Battery?' 'ASSAULT?'

YOU and people like you are what is wrong with society.

Your child needs to apologise.

How bloody ridiculous.

SaucyJack · 06/02/2016 08:28

I'd be straight round myself later too.... to apologise.

Your post (if you are not a troll) is all that is wrong with society these days.

Gileswithachainsaw · 06/02/2016 08:29

Well that's what we would have expected to have had done to us all those years ago if we had done that.

what you do is reprimand your ds. not press charges against some on who did it fir you