Pupils will face no charges over attack in school field

Three Bath school boys who punched and kicked a fellow pupil at Beechen Cliff School have not been prosecuted. The three teenagers who carried out the attack have received a police caution instead.

Cautions are reserved for “minor crimes” such as “writing graffiti on a bus shelter”, according to the Government’s website.

Police began investigating after a video of the assault emerged.

The video, shared with our website Bath Live by a concerned parent, was filmed by one of the boys involved in the incident on school grounds on March 6.

It shows a group of three boys in school uniform carrying out what appears to be a nasty attack on the victim, watched by at least two other pupils, one of whom filmed the incident on a mobile phone.

The video, which Bath Live understands was shared on social media, shows the boys standing with the victim on the school lower field next to Green Way Lane, Bath.

One boy appears to play punch the boy before tackling him to the ground.

A second boy then approaches the boy from behind and kicks him in the head while he is sat on the ground.

A third boy then joins in and the trio hit and kick the victim as he sits on the grass.

The victim appears to make no move to defend himself at any point.

Police have now confirmed that three youths were cautioned on the recommendation of the Criminal Prosecution Service.

Offenders must admit to an offence and agree to be cautioned for this route to be taken, according to Government guidelines.

When Bath Live first contacted the school about the attack, the assistant headmaster Kant Mann said there had been an incident involving two boys “over social media comments” but it had been dealt with by the school.

A week later, he explained: “After our initial investigation, it did transpire that two other boys were involved. The matter was referred to the police.”

Andrew Davies, Beechen Cliff’s headmaster, declined to comment when we asked him about the incident in June.

The parent who shared the video with us said his son goes to a nearby school.

“It was shared with my son via another pupil who was appalled,” said the father, who wished to remain anonymous to protect his son’s identity.

“Rang school and was told someone would call but they didn’t,” he wrote in an email. “Emailed footage to headmaster who replied that the incident had been reported to the police.”

The school was contacted on Friday, October 12, for further comment, but has yet to respond.