Hubby been arrested

[pingu]

Hi there.

 

There was an incident at my sons school today, which saw my husband arrested at gunpoint.

 

I am livid

 

my husband is livid

 

it came to my attention yesterday that my eldest son had accidently brought home a stanley knife from art. He didnt want to take it back for fear of repremand. I have a double pnemonia so hubby offered to take the knife back and ask

1) why a child is using a stanley knife in art instead of an art/craft knife

2) why the knife wasnt missed (or) accounted for (for three weeks - which is the amount of time its been in his bag)

3) what the policy was for such incidents.

 

He walked into school freely - and explained to the receptionist that he was there to return THEIR knife. She asked him to take a seat. 15 minutes later the headteacher talked to my husband and accepted full responsibily for their incompetence. They shook hands and my husband left the school......

 

To be confonted in the car park by the armed responce team who pointed their guns at his disabled body and arrested him for carrying an offensive weapon into school.

 

Six hours later they release him without charge due to insufficent evidence.

 

Meanwhile i only know whats going on when i ring his phone to ask where he was, i knew he was due to pick up his morphine and hadnt done so.... his phone was answered by the police who told me he had been detained.

 

I immediatly withdrew my son from the school, afterall if they are happy to give knifes away and not know they are missing, how many other people are carrying them around. it is not a safe place to be as far as im concerned.

 

To top all this. i have been banging my head on the same brick wall for years about the eldest and his problems (which are seperate from todays incidents but have added up to all this in a way) only to be told by the senco today that tyheir is NOTHING in his school records at all to suggest that liam is in need of any extra help. IN FACT their is NOTHING in his records full stop... the f8ile is empty barring his enrollement form..... HOW is it empty when i have had close contact with the ex senco for years????

 

There is an emergency meeting on tuesday and some ones head will roll for this. All my hubby did was to take back what rightfull ybelonged to them at no time was he threatening or aggresive, he is disabled and can barely walk, yet the receptionist told the head there was a madman in the school, before hiding behind a glass screen and leaving all those kids in the corridors to fend for themselves. god forbid there actions should a real madman walk onto those school grounds because they obviously put their own safety before that of the kids, he was asked to wait by the main assembly hall (full of kids) whilst they secretly phoned the police.... had he been dereanged he could have wiped out 500 kids but the receptoionist and staff would have been fine coz they went and hid.

Its diabloicle

 

Your views please..

did steve do the right thing in taking the knife back or do you think he shouldnt have bothered. Afterall though he was only trying to do what was right and also highlight a lapse security which shouldnt be allowed to happen these days.

 

Forget about the poll as i dont think ive done it right. im still steaming hot here. its just yet another thing we didnt need.

 

Emotions are running very high here and i hope you forgive my blurb, but you are the only people we have got to confide in and we could both do with your support right now.

 

Take care everyone

shaz and steve.

[Canopus]

This is terrible and is a clear indication that Britain is an Orwellian police state. It is beyond belief that a parent could be treated like this.

 

He walked into school freely - and explained to the receptionist that he was there to return THEIR knife. She asked him to take a seat. 15 minutes later the headteacher talked to my husband and accepted full responsibily for their incompetence. They shook hands and my husband left the school......

 

To be confonted in the car park by the armed responce team who pointed their guns at his disabled body and arrested him for carrying an offensive weapon into school.

 

This was a deliberately planned piece of trickery.

 

I immediatly withdrew my son from the school, afterall if they are happy to give knifes away and not know they are missing, how many other people are carrying them around. it is not a safe place to be as far as im concerned.

 

You did the right thing by withdrawing your son from school.

 

[Edited for language - K]

Edited November 30, 2007 by Kathryn

[Tjololo]

I'm stuggling to understand the reaction of the receptionist....it seems bizarre to say the least, unless she's been attacked at knife-point previously and had some kind of flashback experience, otherwise her behaviour is out of all proportion. I hope this matter will be resolved appropriately and a profuse apology given to you and your family. But as you say, it makes you wonder how many other knives are missing or even get taken deliberately.

[pingu]

I'm stuggling to understand the reaction of the receptionist....it seems bizarre to say the least, unless she's been attacked at knife-point previously and had some kind of flashback experience, otherwise her behaviour is out of all proportion. I hope this matter will be resolved appropriately and a profuse apology given to you and your family. But as you say, it makes you wonder how many other knives are missing or even get taken deliberately.

 

 

indeed.

I think she over reacted. last i heard she was been given a cup of hot sweet tea to calm her nerves...... I hope she choked on it.

 

My family has been through hell today. kieran was upset by the change of routine (daddy usually picks him up) instead i had to do it... looking like death warmed up.

 

yesterday the doctor told me i should be in hospital, i argued my family needed me.. how right i was

[Cat]

I am with Canopus here 1984 welcome to our world.

 

I am shocked and sickend and may well have thoughts after this post. However my first thought is contact your MP asap - hindsight is a wonderful thing but maybe a phone call of advanced warning may have been best here. But unless your hubby walked into the school waving a knife and threatening to use it - which he did not - then what happened next would be a farce if it had not been so horrific.

 

I also think that you need legal advice here even if the Police did not make any charges. This should not be how we are treating law abiding citizens in 2007. You must let the school and the LA know that you are not taking this lying down. There are solicitors open on a Saturday find one and seek advice.

 

This needs exposing do not sit and wait until they manage to turn the tables on you so that your hubby looks like he did do something wrong which he did not. As for your eldest find a new school - one where they do keep records and know what they are doing.

 

Cat

[Kathryn]

I'm speechless!

 

I hope you get a full apology for this and that the school look again at their own procedures.

 

<'> to you all

 

K x

[pingu]

thank you. we are going to act on your advice and find a solicitor, the one he had today dealt in criminal law not family law. but i dont want to go to that meeting on tuesday without one.

 

as for publicity - hubby has contacted the papers and the radio station. we WILL NOT take this lying down - im far to angry for that

[aro]

How outrageous! Hope you get some legal advise tomorrow.

A x

[Eva]

Hi Pingu,

 

if I didn't know this was true, I wouldn't believe it, (if you know what I mean).

 

I hope things get resolved quickly <'> <'> .

 

Eva

[Flora]

Can hardly believe what I'm reading.

 

Pingu <'> <'> What a hellish nightmare.

 

When I started reading it, I was wondering if you lived in some country with a represive government regime, and then I thought well you do!!! just happens to be the same one as all of us... good old UK.

 

things are getting crazy if this can happen to a normal man on a normal day.

 

You must get some redress. I wouldn't be sending my kids back there.

 

Flora XXXXX

[KateBall]

and I thought Sudan had overreacted.

[pearl]

Beggars belief. Everything that has happened to you is so wrong I just dont know what to say <'>

[krystaltps]

It's just getting more insane by the minute - the country, that is, not us! This really does take the biscuit in the mad things that people do contest. I think you're right to seek legal advice - what a horrible way to be treated... your poor hubby.

[Tally]

 

It's a crazy world!

 

Hopefully someone will get arrested for wasting police time.

 

Glad you're getting a solicitor on board for the meeting. Definitely the right thing to do!

[pingu]

thank you all. today has been horriffic and im not exgagerating when i say how angry we feel. Because of that school, every member of my family has suffered. they could have stopped any of that happenening, afterall the head had sorted it and confirmed this in a gentlemans handshake..... knowing what lay outside for my hubby......

 

so... hubbys suffered.. and when i say suffered i mean badly, he has broad shoulders and can handle most things, but this has rocked him to the core, because he was trying to do the right thing. he has now lost what little faith he had in society.

 

i have suffered - i need not elaborate, but lets just say i've had better days

 

our eldest has suffered - He gets hauled from class to be told his dad has been dragged to the police station - he is gutted (in his own 'silent' way) that he brought about these circumstances, but still doesnt accept he has a 'problem'

 

our daughter - who seems to have the boys dose of compassion emotion and feeling, is gutted, because steve wasnt home when she came in from school she knew something was wrong. i held off telling her until he came back. We were honest with all of them about the circumstances mainly because its going to be public knowledge soon anyway. she had trouble settling tonight because she worries too much as it is about everything... this has made things ten times worse - especially as hubby has bright red rings around his wrists where the handcuffs were too tight.

 

kieran who is our only child blatent enough to display his autism, held steve fully responsible for getting arrested along with a seperate charge of not making it to the shops for his treat. in his own way i guess he's worried too because he's in my bed again

 

the whole things cocked up the new routine we were trying at bedtime.

 

My parents have suffered too because they sat with me all day, dad took the day off work to run around after us and offer his support, mum who's diabetic was told yesterday her levels are dangerously high yet she too was here when i needed her.

 

I feel like we have taken a massive hit. I, like steve have lost a lot of faith in the system. i dread monday.

 

today has been a complete nightmare

 

ive had enough of this politically correct maddness.

 

 

thanks for your support - i suppose i'd better try the sleep thing

 

shaz

[Clare63]

Shaz,

 

Absolutely appalled, this is total madness, this is going take some getting over if ever.

Thinking of you and your husband and your family.

 

<'> <'> <'>

 

Clare x x x

[annie]

<'> Shaz and Steve <'>

 

 

Absolute madness! After what has happened, I think the only way I would want to be in contact with the school would be through a solicitor too.

 

Hope you both managed to get at least some sleep.

 

 

Annie

xx

[Guest Lya of the Nox]

really sorry they did this to you

hope u have time to recharge and document this all today

thinking of you

x

[Karen A]

<'> <'> Terrible situation to be put in.Very sorry.Karen.

[aro]

I really think it's worth your dh going to the GP if he has been subject to such a trauma, he may find that it causes long term stress and anxiety, after all, no one expects to find a gun, let alone several guns, pointed at them and certainly not by the police that you assume are there to protect us!

 

A x

[pearl]

<'> Hope you are feeling a bit better today.

You are absolutely right to complain, the trouble is that complaining itself produces more stress. But you have no choice, they cannot treat people like this.

[Pippin]

Pingu, you certainly need to find a solicitor ASAP...and make a written note of everything that happened now as well, for reference later. Contemporaneous notes are vitally important as people's recollections change over time. We are in the middle of a similar situation at the moment (cant say too much but hubby was similarly arrested last year when someone made a complaint about an entirely innocent action. We are fortunate that the incident happened when we were on holiday and the only place we will have to face these people is in court as we are suing them.) I would also recommend you see your GP over the stress it has caused as he will then have it in writing.

 

Good luck, and try to keep as calm as you can.

[BusyLizzie100]

I read this topic with utter shock! It's horrific that you've all been put through all this.

 

There's some great advice here, which I can't add anything more too, but I really want to express my support <'> <'> <'> .

 

I hope you manage to get some rest and some peace over the weekend - make your notes and then put them to one side, ready to read again on Monday before you take action...

 

Lots of <'> <'> <'>

Lizzie xx

[oxgirl]

Pingu, if I were you, I'd write to the Head demanding an explanation of why this happened and demanding a written apology. Take care. <'>

 

~ Mel ~

[Canopus]

The head will almost certainly give some bland explanation like he was working under instruction of central government .

 

Demand an explanation from the LEA as well. Let them know what happened.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited post in line with forum rules.Inflamatory language.Karen.

Edited December 1, 2007 by Karen A

[pingu]

The head will almost certainly give some bland explanation like he was working under instruction of central government originating from fascist dictators Blair and Brown.

 

Demand an explanation from the LEA as well. Let them know what happened.

 

 

thanks again for your support. its helping.....today is worse than yesterday to be honest. In 11 years i have seen steve cry twice... in twenty four hours i've lost count of the amount of times he's lost it. This was sooooo not needed.

 

I have made the LEA aware ofwhat happened and they were annoyed that it was all over and done with before i made them aware of it. I am in the process of writing it all down, when i have done so i am going to email it to EVERY single person i can think of.

 

We as parents need to make a stand on school security for one, above all that is what has cut steve up. he cant understand why.... if they suspected him to be a knife weilding maniac who needs the armed police, then WHY was he left standing next to an assembly hall in a corridor full of kids.....

 

These are supposed to be educated people for gods sake, yet they havent a clue how many people are walking around with knifes, moreso, when he tried to bring it to there attention, as a caring parent, he is arrested for it..

 

theres lots more to say, but im needed elsewhere so i will try and come back later...

 

Im going to try and sit steve down later and show him your replies, i think they would help him understand that you are all on our side, he really needs your support. Now if ever there was a time.

 

shaz

[Viper]

This is for Steve.

 

You are in the right. A true upstanding citizen of this sad nightmare of a country. Thank you for doing what is right, at least we know there are still people out there with a sense of right and wrong. I am so sorry you were treated in such a terrible way. As they say "don't let the b******* get you down."

 

Get as much help as you can from anyone you can. I don't just mean with solisitors but from your GP, this kind of thing can cause post traumatic stress disorder.

 

Make them pay for the dispicable way you and your family were affected. Use your despair and disstress. Turn it into fighting spirit and go for everything you can against them.

 

Best wishes and good luck.

 

Pingu, I hope you recover quickly from your illness. I have had pneumonia and it aint fun.

[pingu]

This is for Steve.

 

You are in the right. A true upstanding citizen of this sad nightmare of a country. Thank you for doing what is right, at least we know there are still people out there with a sense of right and wrong. I am so sorry you were treated in such a terrible way. As they say "don't let the b******* get you down."

 

Get as much help as you can from anyone you can. I don't just mean with solisitors but from your GP, this kind of thing can cause post traumatic stress disorder.

 

Make them pay for the dispicable way you and your family were affected. Use your despair and disstress. Turn it into fighting spirit and go for everything you can against them.

 

Best wishes and good luck.

 

Pingu, I hope you recover quickly from your illness. I have had pneumonia and it aint fun.

 

 

thank you viper. i am going to make him read this now. x

[stressedmumto2]

I read this post last night with such shock and dis-belief.

 

I'm so sorry to hear that this has happened it just doesn't make sense, things are truning crazier and crazier by the minute and I wonder if the schools reactions were because they wanted to turn the blame around rather than take the blame for allowing children to use these items and because one of them had leaked out of school with no one noticing.

 

As for the head I think I would seriously want to bash him!!

 

 

Please get your story out of what has happened, this school needs to be named and shamed, ok calling the police but if they really thought he was high risk why allow him to wait near an assambly with children. They seriously need their heads checking.

 

It may not seem like it now, but i'm sure there was a reason for this happening and hubby hopefully will understand that he is the person who is going to make this school a safer place for the children to be and it may even bring about more security measures in all schools, I really hope that there is a positive to the nightmare you and your family have been put through.

 

Your husband is very brave and has been put through hell, so have your whole family. I don't think I could allow my children to go back to that school.

 

Take care and I hope you manage to get some rest this weekend <'>

[pingu]

Hi there. Im putting the letter of complaint in its own topic if thats ok. I'm sorry to hog 2 topics but i want this thread to be a place where steve can come and take support from. Hes in bed totally crestfallen, so i am trying to do the right thing and get my facts right. I have put the letter of complaint under the topic. .... 'letter of complaint - following steves arrest'

 

Hope you dont mind. (i could have put it here but its rather long).

 

Thanks again for your support

 

shaz

[KateBall]

Just bare in mind that if there was an allegation of your husband taking in an "offensive weapon" then there you go the school are well in the wrong for allowing that "weapon" to be in the school in the first place. It is therefore an admission by the school that they were in the wrong for using those knives in school.

 

Do you know who called in the police?

 

I go along with everyone else - go to the gp for help. Get gp to record how its made you all feel - physically and mentally. This is important. Then go to solicitor asap. Possibly even consider taking solicitor to any meeting you have with the school.