Six pupils charged over alleged attack which left boy badly injured.

BULLYING: Father says alleged attack was culmination of many incidents

Six secondary school pupils in Dundee have been arrested and charged with assault following an alleged attack in the school which left the victim with suspected broken ribs and severe bruising to his face and eye sockets.

The 14-year-old boy was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries after the alleged attack, which his father claims was the culmination of more than two years of bullying against his son.

The six involved, three aged 14 and three 15, have now been reported to the Youth Justice Assessor, Police Scotland reported.

One of the attackers, the instigator of the alleged assault, has been expelled from the school, according to the victim’s father.

Neither the victim nor his alleged attackers can be named due to them being under 18.

The incident was broken up by a janitor and a couple of fourth year pupils, the parent said.

He told The Courier: “The bullying has apparently been going on since they went to secondary school, one of them has been pushing and pushing and I would say it’s been about two and a half years.

“The incident was caught on the school’s CCTV so the police were able to act on it.

“I have to say I have no problem with either the school or the education department, they have acted really quickly and dealt with things well.

“I just wish it had all been dealt with after it started. My son was also attacked by this guy previously at a shop near the school and the police decided it was as much my son’s fault, but he only reacted verbally, which he shouldn’t have.

“I’ve seen videos of the shop incident and the school attack and they are shocking. Just brutal. Some of the kids filmed them on their phones, as kids do. After the school incident I decided enough was enough and confronted the boy’s mother but the family just laughed at me. I couldn’t believe it.”

He said he later found out the boy had been expelled.

“My son is much better now, he’s much more relaxed about things now he’s got the support of the school and the pupils.

“He suffered from anxiety after the assault, he had trouble sleeping and the doctors think he might have posttraumatic stress disorder, but he’s not been able to be properly assessed because of the lockdown.”

A spokesperson for Police Scotland Tayside Division confirmed the arrests and charges.

The spokesperson said: “Six teenagers, three aged 14 and three aged 15, have been charged in relation to an assault at a high school in Dundee on Friday 21 February 2020.

“A report has been sent to the Youth Justice Assessor.”

A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “It would not be appropriate to comment on any individual incident.”