Pupils sprayed with ‘noxious fluid’ in playground attack
THREE schoolchildren, including a 13-year-old girl, were taken to hospital after a playground attack in which a “noxious substance” was allegedly thrown in their faces.
Three schoolboys were arrested after the alleged attack, in which five other pupils also had the corrosive substance squirted into their faces in the “shocking” incident at Sydney Russell School in Dagenham.
Three people, believed to be two girls and a boy, were taken to an east London hospital for treatment, police said. They have all been discharged.
It is alleged that a group of girls were playing together when they were targeted by pupils armed with a bottle containing an unknown substance.
Police and paramedics rushed to the Ofsted-rated “outstanding” academy school after the liquid was sprayed in their faces. Officers arrested three male pupils, aged 12, 13, and 15, on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm. They were today being questioned at an East London police station.
Principal Janis Davies said today that the boys involved would be expelled. She said: “At lunchtime, three boys were involved in stupid behaviour, spraying harmful fluid — and we are not sure what that fluid is.
“Three pupils were taken to hospital but were all back home later yesterday. There was no long-term effects. The boys are not allowed in school until a full investigation has taken place and, with the facts we have at the moment, they will not be returning.”
A mother whose daughter is friends with the most badly injured girl said: “The girls were playing a game where you toss a pound in the air and whoever grabs it first keeps it. A boy sprayed their faces to distract them. Apparently, it was thrown in their face and eyes.”
Another parent said: “They taped off the school and told the kids to go home.” A former pupil, 21, whose sister attends the school, said: “There were six injured, with three of them needing medical attention. One girl was hurt more. She was sent to the medical services inside the school and waited with her face wrapped in bandages.”
A source at the school said: “We’ve been spending all day trying to reassure parents about everything.”
A Met Police spokesman said an investigation had been launched after “three teenagers were injured at an east London school”. He said officers were called after a “disturbance involving youths where a noxious substance had been used” just after 2pm yesterday.
A Barking & Dagenham council spokesman said: “The safety of our pupils is always our top priority. This is a one-off isolated incident within the school and staff were on the scene immediately.” @benm_b