Lied to by police re: Community resolution implications

[Megifer]

Hi

As the title says really. Just over 8m ago my DC did something daft - bit unpleasant but nothing that thousands of school kids dont do every day - that got them into a bit of trouble with the school PC onsite.

Long story short they were advised (without me being present or offered the opportunity) to write an apology letter to the other kid. Other kid should have had the same as far as I was concerned as it was tit for tat type stuff but I let it slide.

At the time I was told it was "restorative justice" and was to put the frighteners up DC a bit and it wasn't a record of any sort, wouldnt show up anywhere except a local database so if they did similar in the area before they are 18 they might not get off so lightly- fine (although the heavy-handed approach i.e. speaking to DC on their own despite me living opposite the school, shouting, threats of prison and evading certain q's from me about the process etc is another story).

I've since found that its called a Community resolution and would infact show up on an enhanced DBS check for the rest of their life.

I'm beyond furious that I was lied to and it all makes sense now that when I mentioned getting a solicitor to advise - after they were told to do the apology letter and give a copy to the police for their records which I thought was odd - that they almost mopped up and then decided to get me involved to diffuse it all.

I feel so stupid that I trusted what the PC and the school told me and im gutted this could affect DC employment in future.

Is there any way I can challenge this at all after all this time?

Thank you.

What does the paperwork that was issued at the time say?

Nothing, and when I asked if I should have been there to see the paperwork or in the 'chats' interviews he was pulled out of class in front of everyone to confirm how it was going to be recorded i was told the teacher was the appropriate adult and he was old enough to understand what was happening.

This is the same kid who asked me if the police would let him say goodbye to us before he went to prison or would they just take him at the end of school.

Sorry nothing as in no paperwork just verbally told about this community thing.

I couldn't get any sense out of him at the time, he thinks the teacher signed something but he didn't start from the letter to the other boy. When I demanded to see the PC in a formal meeting with a solicitor all of a sudden they couldn't communicate enough with me, but only to tell me itwasn't a big deal but if I got a solicitor involved it might turn it into something it wasn't.

A very early life lesson for your DS to no comment everything the police ask until a solicitor is present. I'm sure this won't have any long term implications for him but as you say, you should definitely have been allowed to be more involved in this process.
The other thing to note, though hopefully he'll never need this, is to never accept a caution.

Indeed.

Such a shame as I always said he could always trust the police but now I think on I've not said that for a long time.

Its definitely made me more cautious thats for sure!

If you and he don't deny it happened, would you have preferred it to go to court?

Id have preferred not to have been lied to and treated like an idiot.

Tbh the way it was handled and the fear of God put up DS its possible it didn't happen exactly as was reported. I wasn't in the discussions with him and didn't get much info from anyone else.

And its not really relevant to my query but a teacher who witnessed it did report a very different version of events which I imagine a decent solicitor would have had a field day with, but as I say that's not my query or point here.

You say your child was called out of a lesson and shouted at by a Police Officer and a teacher, but who was the Appropriate Adult? Information online indicates an Appropriate Adult is there for the child and can’t be someone involved in any investigation. From whom did you obtain your information? Your child, the Appropriate Adult or the Police?

For the future, never talk to the police without a solicitor. Especially if you're innocent.

IMPORTANT: if your DS is EVER asked about this, (in the unlikely event it stays on his record), he absolutely has to show he learnt a lesson, rather than hide it.

My DH was a 'nice but tearaway' teen and was arrested twice, once with a friend, and was charged with criminal damage for a stupid misdemeanour.

Five years later, after university, and both he and his mate were applying for jobs - his friend had a masters in police surveillance and my DH was applying for a civil service job with high security clearance. His friend lied and said he'd never been arrested, whereas DH when asked (because they had his full record) just said he was an idiot as a teenager and now lived a very quiet life. His mate with one arrest couldn't get the job he had a masters for, and in fact never got a job in the police, whereas my DH is now 40 and has had a long career in the civil service. It wasn't the arrest, it was the lying about it, that had damaged his friend's application.