11 year old daughter fought at school, police now involved

[Marcbearpig]

Hello,

My daughter was involved in a fight at school wherein she was defending herself from a boy that was hitting her with a stick. She has retaliated and one of her peers has videoed it but obviously doesn't show her being hit with the stick.

We had a meeting with the parents and all involved were very cooperative and my daughter was aware that her actions had consequences and she was suspended from school. She returned and all was well in the world until we received a phone call from the police!!!

They want her to attend an interview, the officer has assured us it won't take long maybe 10 mins but has also stated that we have the right to have a solicitor present.

Is this normal? She's scared out of her mind over this and obviously the need for a solicitor has worried us as parents

Sorry I should not be referring to it as cctv, as it's mobile footage. Surely this can always be misconstrued as you can't see what happened prior. This is v different from cctv. Do the school have cameras themselves?

They just asked her to attend. Like I said before it all seemed voluntary and run of the mill until he mentioned a solicitor

I'll be checking now for sure

If OP hasnt reported a crime/offence against her daughter why would the police speak to him?

Think about it, you're a police officer and you've received a report of assault, the pereson shows you evidence of this on a phone/footage and it shows the assault. Why would you speak to the apparent victim about their behaviour?

I would also counter complaint. Not fair if its only your daughter speaking to the police and it gives the wrong message about defending yourself physically against male violence when she is older.

I'd be tempted to decline then. Maybe speak to Citizens Advice about having a chat with a solicitor free of charge, they might be able to advise someone who will speak with you briefly about this.

Has anything like this happened at school before involving either your daughter or the boy, with anyone else?

No idea. She's 11 and it wasn't exactly a fight like an adult would have.

They don't actually want to speak to me at all I'm just going with her. Again...she's 11

They have to let you know what your rights are, we wouldnt be happy if asked to come down the station, didnt bring a solicitor and then something happens which would have been compromised by not having one.

I'm not sure. Not with any of my kids they've always kept their noses clean

soupfiend just wondering as it seems voluntary, whether they are speaking to both parties to try to find out what happened?

No they wont want to speak to you! You're not the alleged perpetrator, but you can be her appropriate adult if its that sort of interview.

I work with kids and they're often interviewed, quite often we have no idea of exactly what the process is, sometimes it seems all softly softly and you're told its NFA, next thing they're asking them to come back again, like months later (this is for things more serious by the way).

Very rarely are they ever arrested though

Are you a member of a union? If so you could call Thompson’s solicitors for free advice

https://www.thompsons.law/services/more-legal-services/criminal-law-services

I'd like to think so but I doubt it. Just seems weird to me that we've sat down with the boys parents at school and sorted it all out and then they've gone to the police about it

They will have taken a statement from the victim, thats how it works.

And OP isnt sure if its voluntary as such. Is it an interview under caution, we dont know at the moment

I would just go with her and explain what actually happened, if you can get a free solicitor so much the better and if you can find cctv of the whole event even better.

Hate to add are you sure your DD is telling the truth? Does she have witnesses? At 11 I really assume there is nothing to it apart from a rough and tumble, was the boy actually hurt?

Was any action at all taken against the other child?

Were there any witnesses to him hitting her?

You dont know the order of things though, they may well have reported it on the day. Its sorted out from a school perspective, but the criminal element of it is nothing to do with school (in that way)

I don't know. The school wouldn't give us any info on the other boy

Wow id be feeling all over the place as well..
That boys reputation is never going to recover from this.. hopefully he wont hit anyone else with a stick..
this will all blow over, your daughter has some seriously large cahoonahs

This is true. I've since learned that the boys parents (that we were on speaking terms with) have now blocked us on all social media

OP isnt being interviewed, her daughter is

Also OP wasnt there when the incident occured, how can she explain what 'actually' happened. So far, unfortunately all that exists is proof that the girl was attacking the boy.

I presume however there were witnesses to the incident?

My Dd had similar. Parents called the police. Accept the solicitor. They are free so don't worry about that. I put a post on here about it and was ripped to shreds that she couldn't possibly have been innocent. She was and the cctv showed it. Tell the truth and support your daughter. She was defending herself. The parents are being ridiculous

I just taught her to defend herself as the school system and their anti bullying agenda doesn't work. It's bit me on the arse now though

OP yes to solicitor without a doubt.

I had to accompany DC when 16 for something was accused of. We had 40mins or so at police station in private with an amazing duty solicitor.

She was just so brilliant with DC, reassured him, coached us both on what to say in the situation. She really took NO shit. She also said I would not be able to say anything as the responsible adult accompanying DC, but I could interject and remind him to think a bit more on a particular question.

I also had a particular point I wanted to make which she arranged to give me the nod for at the end. Her opinion was that if they did let me say it they had no intention of taking it any further (as I shouldn’t really be allowed to provide info myself for the interview to be procedurally correct). They let me say it and we were very relieved. It didn’t go any further

Thank you. She's been painted out to be a monster (the lovely parents have shared the videos online now too) but she was just defending herself against a boy who was bigger than she