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Give teachers more powers to search for knives, Bailey Gwynne report says Give teachers more powers to search for knives, Bailey Gwynne report says
(about 3 hours later)
Teachers should be given more powers to search pupils they suspect of carrying knives, according to an independent report into the death of Aberdeen schoolboy Bailey Gwynne, which also recommends that the Scottish government explore tighter controls on buying weapons online. Teachers should be given more powers to search pupils they suspect of carrying knives, according to an independent report into the death of the Aberdeen schoolboy Bailey Gwynne, which goes on to recommend that the Scottish government explore tighter controls on buying weapons online.
The multi-agency review into the circumstances leading up to the killing of 16-year-old Bailey, who was fatally stabbed at Cults Academy, one of Scotland’s highest performing state schools, on 28 October 2015, also concluded that his death could have been avoided had those who knew that his killer carried weapons in school reported this to staff. The multi-agency review into the circumstances leading up to the killing of the 16-year-old, who was fatally stabbed at Cults Academy, one of Scotland’s highest performing state schools, on 28 October 2015, also concluded that his death could have been avoided had those who knew that his killer carried weapons in school reported this to staff.
In March of this year, another 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was cleared of Bailey’s murder but found guilty of a lesser charge of culpable homicide after a five-day trial at the high court in Aberdeen. He was subsequently sentenced to nine years in detention. In March, a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was cleared of Bailey’s murder but found guilty of a lesser charge of culpable homicide after a five-day trial at the high court in Aberdeen. He was subsequently sentenced to nine years in detention.
Immediately following the trial, a Guardian investigation found that Amazon was selling age-restricted folding knives, similar to one used by the Bailey’s killer, without checking they were safely delivered to adults, Immediately after the trial, a Guardian investigation found that Amazon was selling age-restricted folding knives, similar to one used by the Bailey’s killer, without checking they were safely delivered to adults.
The trial in March including testimony from four teenage witnesses who described how a disagreement over a biscuit swiftly escalated into a physical confrontation that resulted in Bailey being fatally stabbed. The report includes two recommendations for the Scottish government: that it should “explore the further legislative controls that can be brought to bear on the purchase of weapons online” and that it “give consideration to amending the law in relation to searching pupils”.
The jury also heard that the killer had told police officers interviewing him the day after Bailey died that he regularly carried a knife in order to appear “cool”. Pupils can only be searched by senior staff if they consent to it, although schools can contact parents or police for assistance if the child refuses. Since 2007, headteachers in England have had the power to search pupils suspected of carrying weapons. The report also recommends that a “specific search and confiscation protocol” should be developed by Aberdeen city council and Police Scotland.
The multi-agency review was commissioned by Aberdeen city council, Police Scotland and NHS Grampian following the verdict in order to establish whether there were “wider issues for the whole of Scotland” resulting from the tragedy. On Tuesday morning, Police Scotland confirmed that 15 knives had been recovered from schools in Aberdeen in the period from Bailey’s death up until the end of August.
The investigation was led by Andrew Lowe, independent chair of child and adult protection for Renfrewshire and a former director of social work with a track record of involvement in high-profile investigations across the UK. An investigation for STV in August found that around 700 pupils had been excluded from Scottish schools for attacking pupils and teachers with weapons, including knives, over the past five years.
Lowe, who was also tasked with establishing the relationship between Bailey and his killer prior to the stabbing, concluded that their altercation had been “an unplanned, spontaneous conflict that emerged rapidly out of an unexceptional banter. It is not considered that it could have been predicted or averted on the day.” The trial in March included testimony from four teenage witnesses, who described how a disagreement over a biscuit swiftly escalated into a physical confrontation that resulted in Bailey being fatally stabbed.
The jury also heard that the killer had told police officers interviewing him the day after Bailey died that he regularly carried a knife to appear “cool”.
The review was commissioned by Aberdeen city council, Police Scotland and NHS Grampian following the court case to establish whether there were “wider issues for the whole of Scotland”.
It was led by Andrew Lowe, the independent chair of child and adult protection for Renfrewshire and a former director of social work, with a track record of involvement in high-profile investigations across the UK.
Lowe, who also had to establish the relationship between Bailey and his killer prior to the stabbing, concluded that their altercation had been “an unplanned, spontaneous conflict that emerged rapidly out of an unexceptional banter. It is not considered that it could have been predicted or averted on the day”.
However, Lowe added: “The course of the conflict was fatally altered by the possession of a bladed weapon by one of the boys. This was potentially predictable and avoidable if those who knew Child A carried weapons in school had reported this to staff.”However, Lowe added: “The course of the conflict was fatally altered by the possession of a bladed weapon by one of the boys. This was potentially predictable and avoidable if those who knew Child A carried weapons in school had reported this to staff.”
Referring to media reports following the trial that Bailey’s killer had been involved in a previous incident in which he had thrown rocks at and injured a fellow pupils while at primary school, Lowe described this as having “marginal significance”. Referring to media reports after the trial that Bailey’s killer had been involved in a previous incident, in which he had allegedly thrown rocks at and injured a fellow pupil while at primary school, Lowe described this as having “marginal significance”.
“It did not reveal a violent child but a child under very significant and continual pressure from his brother A1,” said the report, before acknowledging that a complaint by the victim’s parents regarding the incident had not been dealt with satisfactorily. “It did not reveal a violent child, but a child under very significant and continual pressure from his brother,” said the report, before acknowledging that a complaint by the parents of the child injured at primary school had not been dealt with satisfactorily.
Over the summer Lowe was given complete access to any case files and documentation required, and was asked to examine if the educational, pastoral, health and social care services provided were sufficient, in particular in relation to Aberdeen’s current youth justice system. The report includes a number of suggestions for how schools in Aberdeen can strengthen their policy on knives, including age-appropriate information for children as young as primary seven (aged between 10 and 12), notifying Police Scotland of “each and every” weapon-related incident and carrying out individual risk assessments on all young people known or suspected of carrying offensive weapons.
An investigation for STV in August found that around 700 pupils have been excluded from Scottish schools for attacking pupils and teachers with weapons, including knives, over the last five years. Based on one-to-one interviews with more than 40 people, the inquiry said the immediate aftermath of the stabbing “was well managed by all agencies”.
Launching the report in Aberdeen on Tuesday morning, Lowe began by paying tribute to the dead boy’s family. The Aberdeen Chief Officers Group, which commissioned the report, confirmed that it would begin work on implementing all recommendations relating to them immediately, and likewise highlighted “the extraordinary dignity and fortitude” shown by Bailey’s family.