Would it be ridiculous to report this to the police?

[Bagatsfava]

For various reasons (that I don't wish to disclose) my ex's parents have no contact with my child.

they were involved in their grandchild's life but their behaviour got out of hand, the police had to be involved. Essentially they are not very nice people.

it has been made clear that they are to have no contact with my child. However they keep doing low level things to try and contact them. The most recent today is a birthday card has come through the post.

would it be really ridiculous to report this to the police? At this point I feel like it's harassment, it's constant little things and they won't leave us alone. (Btw I would not be calling 999 or anything silly, just reporting online)

I have reported them before for other (much more serious) things, so would this help to build a picture of the harassment? Or is it just silly?

How often are they making contact?

Have you told them clearly not to contact you, including sending cards. Whilst the police are useless and I wouldn’t expect you to get any help from them, I would tell them clearly and directly not to contact. Once you’ve done that and they do it again, then police.

I know your OP said it’s been made clear but I’m talking about a signed for letter which can be used as evidence. Not a Facebook post or similar.

Report it with dates/times up to now. And keep reporting in case it escalates

Personally, I would report everything for the purpose of keeping a log should the harassment worsen

Yes, report every single instance of unwanted contact and keep your own timeline as well.

I went through the same with my mother, who is nuttier than squirrel shit and vicious to boot. Even something as inocuous as a birthday card is a weapon and a way of getting inside your house. We ignored a letter, long after the police involvement had elapsed, she'd been made to sign the harassment act and undertake to leave us alone. She took that as evidence that we were weakening, and the next step was a van turning up at our house containing all the crap she'd bought for our DC to have at her house, including a baby walker, a Victorian death trap of a rocking horse and a huge sack full of toys. No thought for the effect this would have on our DC who was still having nightmares about the time she tried to snatch him from nursery.

Report EVERYTHING.

I would put your request for no contact in a letter to them, making clear what the boundaries are. Send it recorded delivery and keep proof of this along with a copy of the letter. Give them three more strikes, then consider reporting it to the police as harassment assuming it is causing you or your child distress.

Is there a court order preventing any contact? If not there is nothing to report it's not illegal to post something. I'd leave it is a card really going to hurt?

You could mark it return to sender and drop it back in the post.

As someone who was a child at the centre of this kind of bullshit between families, this. File it away, log it, leave it. Reassess if something else happens

This is one of my greatest fears. We have moved so that my family can no longer find us and do these things (they live outside the UK, so police would be no help in our case, I'm afraid).

Personally, I would have a solicitor draft and send them a letter saying you have stated that they are not to contact you and they must stop all contact with you or your children. Legally, it means nothing, but it does level the situation up a bit and it means you have evidence that you have requested not to be contacted that is dated.

And yes, I would speak to the police. There may not be much they can do, but they can advise you. It is essentially harassment or stalking. If it was an ex doing these things, it would look every differently to many people. The police will be able to advise you about what next steps you can take (non-molestation order?). But it is good to have an evidence trail.

What crime has been committed?

Don’t just don’t give it to your child

Of course it’s illegal if it amounts to harassment.

Grandparents can seek contact legally unless you have a legal no contact order sending a card in the post to a grandchild isn't going to be viewed as anything worrying. When people are actually in danger and being harassed violently it seems a waste of police time just pay for a legal letter or ignore it.

It is not illegal for a grandparent to send a birthday card the parent can choose to return it to the sender, bin it or give it....but if the child as an adult contacts grandparents and becomes aware of this it may force them away from their parents.
If you want to stop it legally you go through solicitors

It is hard to say, as you are not telling us any information that would help us to gauge if this is worth while.

Depends on their past crimes. It may give insight in to how things may go in future.

They could have done a lot wrong, or you could be one of those parents that uses the kids to spite the ex

we wont know

You can choose to believe what you like, I’m not saying it’s right but:

Threatening grandparents for sending a birthday card with criminal prosecution seems to be a gross over-reaction by the police. However, grandparents should beware; if the parent with care has said that she or he does not want to the children to receive cards or gifts, then continuing to send them could be a criminal offence under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

https://www.armstrongfamilylaw.co.uk/news/what-do-you-mean-i-cant-see-my-grandchildren/

If it has been formally stated that there is to be no contact, then it absolutely is a police matter. I think we were very lucky that our harassment case was handled by an experienced domestic violence officer who understood that sometimes a birthday card isn't just a birthday card. If you haven't dealt with a relative like this it must be difficult to understand, but even the slightest breach of boundaries, if ignored, will escalate.

Thanks everyone for your insight. I know I was being g very vague but I didn't want to be outed.

honestly, they have made the last year of my life hell, to the point I have panic attacks when someone knocks on my door. So the innocent birthday card really isn't all that innocent.

I have decided to report it online. I know the police probably won't do anything but at least I have it on record, they have officially been told to leave us alone and yet continue to do these things. It just feels like mind games tbh

Definitely report.

That's why you go to a solicitor