Parents Awarded £20,000 After Unlawful Arrest Over School WhatsApp Complaints
A Hertfordshire police force has admitted to unlawfully arresting two parents after they voiced concerns about their daughter’s primary school in a private WhatsApp group.The incident raises critical questions about the balance between parental advocacy, freedom of speech, and police intervention in disputes involving schools.
Rosalind Levine and her partner,Maxie Allen,were detained at a police station for 11 hours in January following complaints related to Cowley Hill primary school in Borehamwood. The couple was initially arrested by six uniformed officers on suspicion of harassment, malicious communications, and causing a nuisance on school property.
The school reportedly contacted police after receiving a “high volume of direct correspondence and public social media posts” that staff, parents, and governors found upsetting. according to the school,these communications stemmed from criticism of the headteacher and school leadership within a parents’ WhatsApp group. Prior to the arrest, Levine and Allen had been banned from entering the school premises.
Initially, Hertfordshire constabulary defended the arrests, claiming they were necessary to investigate the allegations, characterizing such actions as “routine in these types of matters.” Though, following an internal examination, the force’s lawyers conceded this month that the legal criteria for arrest, as defined by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, were not met, “thus rendering the arrest unlawful.”
Did you know?– The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) sets out the rules for police powers, including arrest. It dictates when an arrest is lawful, based on reasonable suspicion of a crime and necessity.
As an inevitable result,Hertfordshire police have agreed to a £20,000 payout – £10,000 each to Allen,50,and Levine,47. the force acknowledged that the settlement amount was “significantly above that required by the case law” and reflected a “desire to bring matters to a conclusion.”
The events leading up to the arrest began in May 2024, when Allen, a producer for Times Radio, submitted questions to the school regarding the recruitment of a new headteacher. These inquiries were reportedly rejected. Afterward, the school’s governors warned parents about “inflammatory and defamatory” comments circulating on social media, threatening action against anyone causing “disharmony.”
Levine and Allen reportedly expressed disbelief at these warnings within their private WhatsApp group, leading to their ban from the school grounds. Following the ban, the couple continued to communicate with the school via email regarding their daughter’s needs, as she has a disability.In December, a police officer cautioned the family about the emails, suggesting they withdraw their daughter from the school, which they did the following month, just a week before their arrest.
Pro tip:– When communicating with schools, keep records of all correspondence. This includes emails, letters, and any other forms of communication. This can be crucial if disputes arise.
Allen described the experience as “entirely Kafkaesque,” stating that he and Levine were never informed which specific communications were considered criminal. Levine echoed this sentiment, telling Sky News, “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.”
Reader question:– Do you think the police overreacted in this situation? What steps should schools take when dealing with parental complaints? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Hertfordshire police maintain that there were “no issues of misconduct involving any officer” in the case,
