Hertfordshire Police Admit Unlawful Arrest of Couple After WhatsApp Row with School Over Child's Education
A police force has admitted to unlawful arrest two parents who complained about their child's primary school on a WhatsApp group. Rosalind Levine and her partner, Maxie Allen, were held at a police station for 11 hours in January after expressing concerns over the school's leadership and headteacher.
The couple had been banned from entering the school following criticism they made about the administration in a parents' WhatsApp group. However, they claimed that their complaints were not abusive or malicious but rather aimed at raising concerns about their daughter's education.
In a shocking turn of events, Hertfordshire Constabulary has admitted that the arrest was unlawful and agreed to pay the couple £20,000 each. The force acknowledged that the legal criteria for arrest "was not made out" and formally accepted liability for the wrongful detention.
The arrests sparked widespread criticism, with many questioning why a police force would intervene in such a situation. The couple claimed they were left feeling "completely Kafkaesque" after being detained without explanation or warning about which communications might be considered criminal.
An investigation by Hertfordshire Police found that there was insufficient evidence to take further action against the pair. However, it seems that the force's lawyers now accept that the criteria for arrest under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 were not met, rendering the arrest unlawful.
The incident has raised questions about police powers and their ability to intervene in domestic disputes. The couple's experience highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability within law enforcement agencies when dealing with complaints or criticisms from parents about schools.
As one of the arrested parents noted, "We cannot fathom what happened; it doesn't make any sense. We made a few inquiries, we had a bit of banter on a WhatsApp group, and then we were arrested." The incident is now set to be reviewed by an independent body, with the aim of preventing similar instances in the future.
A police force has admitted to unlawful arrest two parents who complained about their child's primary school on a WhatsApp group. Rosalind Levine and her partner, Maxie Allen, were held at a police station for 11 hours in January after expressing concerns over the school's leadership and headteacher.
The couple had been banned from entering the school following criticism they made about the administration in a parents' WhatsApp group. However, they claimed that their complaints were not abusive or malicious but rather aimed at raising concerns about their daughter's education.
In a shocking turn of events, Hertfordshire Constabulary has admitted that the arrest was unlawful and agreed to pay the couple £20,000 each. The force acknowledged that the legal criteria for arrest "was not made out" and formally accepted liability for the wrongful detention.
The arrests sparked widespread criticism, with many questioning why a police force would intervene in such a situation. The couple claimed they were left feeling "completely Kafkaesque" after being detained without explanation or warning about which communications might be considered criminal.
An investigation by Hertfordshire Police found that there was insufficient evidence to take further action against the pair. However, it seems that the force's lawyers now accept that the criteria for arrest under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 were not met, rendering the arrest unlawful.
The incident has raised questions about police powers and their ability to intervene in domestic disputes. The couple's experience highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability within law enforcement agencies when dealing with complaints or criticisms from parents about schools.
As one of the arrested parents noted, "We cannot fathom what happened; it doesn't make any sense. We made a few inquiries, we had a bit of banter on a WhatsApp group, and then we were arrested." The incident is now set to be reviewed by an independent body, with the aim of preventing similar instances in the future.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one... I mean, who gets arrested for having a chat with their kid's school about their education? It just seems so out of proportion, you know? Like, they were just trying to have a conversation about something that mattered to them as parents. And then 11 hours in the slammer? That's just ridiculous. The fact that Hertfordshire Police has now admitted it was an unlawful arrest is the bare minimum - what really needs to happen here is some serious reforms on how they handle these kinds of situations... we need more transparency and accountability, for sure. 
I mean, can you even imagine getting arrested for having a casual convo about your kid's school? It's just wild that Hertfordshire Police had to admit they did something wrong and pay out £40k to make it right. The whole thing feels like something out of a movie, like from "The Office" or something 
. I get that parents can get passionate about their kids' education, but this is just ridiculous. It's like the police thought they were dealing with some kind of domestic terrorism situation 
. Anyway, it's good to see them taking responsibility and making things right, even if it's a bit too little, too late for Rosalind and Maxie 
.
, like what even happened?! A WhatsApp row over school leadership turns into an 11-hour police station stay and £40k payout? The couple was just trying to voice their concerns for their daughter's education, and the police force ended up getting it all wrong. It's clear that there was a complete lack of oversight on the part of Hertfordshire Police 
. I mean, anyone can get misinterpreted online, but to escalate it to actual arrest? That's just crazy 
. I guess this incident is a wake-up call for police forces to review their protocols and ensure that they're not overstepping their bounds in situations like this. Fingers crossed the review leads to some real changes 
.
11 hours for a WhatsApp row? That's ridiculous! Schools should be held accountable, not parents who just wanna help their kid 
the fact that they admitted it was unlawful and took responsibility is kinda cool tho, at least they're owning up to their mistake now 
and yeah let this be a lesson for all law enforcement agencies to be more chill with the whole "transparency" thing 
I mean, what's next? Arresting people for having a debate on social media? 
. it makes me think that our schools need some serious reform too, because clearly, the system is broken when you can get arrested for speaking out. but hey, at least they're taking responsibility and paying the couple £40k each 
. maybe this will lead to some real change in how we handle parental complaints? only time'll tell 
11 hours for what?! I mean, I get that they wanted to keep an eye on them, but come on! That's just excessive. And £40k together? Still a lot, but better than nothing 
. Anyway, glad this got sorted out and all, but still... 
. But still, this whole thing just feels so... messy 
. This is totally unacceptable - 11 hours without warning or explanation? That's like being stuck in some kind of bizarre bureaucratic loop 
. But on a positive note, I'm glad they're reviewing this incident to prevent similar situations from happening in the future 
.
but seriously how do u even end up in a situation where ur being arrested over a whatsapp convo? 
what happened to free speech and expressin ur concerns without fear of reprisal? its like they're tryna keep the school admin accountable or somethin, but this is just ridiculous 
. i hope whoever did the review on this case makes sure that the system changes so this can never happen again 
.
. it's time for greater transparency and accountability within law enforcement agencies, especially when it comes to interactions with civilians 
. but let's hope this incident leads to real change and not just a slap on the wrist 
. It's like, what can we even do to make sure this doesn't happen again? 
and can you believe this happened in Hertfordshire Constabulary?! I'm all for holding people accountable, but not when it's blatant overreach like this