Probe: ‘Stab death can happen at any school’

Education: Message to parents after tragedy

The man behind an investigation into the killing of a north- east schoolboy has issued a stark warning to middle-class parents who believe such a tragedy could never-happen at their children’s school.

Child protection expert Andrew Lowe was appointed to lead an inquiry into the death of Cults Academy pupil Bailey Gwynne.

The man behind an investigation into the killing of a north-east schoolboy has issued a stark warning to middle-class parents who believe such a tragedy could never happen at their children’s school.

Child protection expert Andrew Lowe was appointed to lead an independent inquiry into the death of Cults Academy pupil Bailey Gwynne.

This came after Bailey’s classmate at one of the best state schools in the country was convicted of the fatal stabbing earlier this year.

In April, the killer – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was locked up for nine years after he was found guilty of culpable homicide following a fiveday trial.

During the course of the evidence jurors heard from Cults Academy pupils who claimed they had witnessed the accused with weapons on several occasions.

During Mr Lowe’s lengthy 17,000-word report, which was partly published earlier this month, he concluded that Bailey’s death could have been prevented if classmates had reported the fact the killer was known for carrying weapons.

Now, in an interview, Mr Lowe warned schools that a similar incident could occur among their pupils, regardless of how middleclass they are.

The child protection expert said: “This tragedy has revealed these incidents don’t only happen in inner cities and troubled neighbourhoods.

“My message would be this: it is you in the schools, who think this has nothing to do with you, who need to listen.

“A school is a community, and pupils and teachers and auxiliary staff all have a duty to each other to make sure school is safe.

“One of the things about this tragedy was people knew this young man carried weapons, but did not think it necessary to inform teachers.”

This weekend it also emerged that Aberdeen City Council does not have its own centralised log of pupils f ound with knives.

However, a spokesman for the council’s chief officers group said the authority is working on a better way of documenting incidents involving blades.

The spokesman said: “As part of ongoing work, we have developed a centralised system to record whether a weapon was recovered and are working on implementing the recommendations of the review into the death of Bailey Gwynne.”

INQUIRY: Andrew Lowe said Bailey’s stabbing could have been prevented

Cults Academy was regarded as one of the best state schools in the country

Pupils left hundreds of tributes to Bailey Gwynne