Police review decision on incident where boy injured
POLICE are reviewing their decision not to prosecute after a 12-year-old boy suffered a head injury having been reportedly hit by a woman on the riverside in Bristol.
Avon and Somerset Police said officers were called out following a report that a woman had struck a child near Conham River Park at around 3pm on March 26.
The family of 12-year-old Antwon spoke out about the incident and the original police decision not to take further action.
According to an online petition, which appeared to have been set up by Antwon’s aunt, calling for police to take action, it was claimed Antwon, who is autistic, had been playing when he was “accused and attacked” by a woman with the paddle of a boat “for throwing stones which he didn’t even throw”.
The petition featured a picture of the boy’s bloodied face. His aunt said she had been “devastated” to see it.
Police said they had taken statements and looked at phone footage from after the incident.
An individual was arrested, had their details taken and was then de-arrested and later formally interviewed at a police station, the force said.
But it was decided there would be no further action after police concluded a realistic prospect of a conviction “was not made out from the available evidence”.
The force has now said it had become aware of the injured boy’s family’s concerns through social media and had been in touch with them and begun a review, which will be carried out by an experienced detective sergeant, with oversight from a senior officer.
The review is also being monitored by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, it added.
Antwon’s father, Ty Forrest, said it had been a disappointment for his family when they received a letter from the police on April 14 saying no further action would be taken.
He said: “I don’t want my son to live the rest of his life believing that there are no consequences to things like this.
“We have been getting a lot of support from people since it happened back in March and Antwon’s lived with it. We keep reassuring him but he’s scared and upset.”
Mr Forrest described Antwon as a “loving, caring boy with lots of friends” and said: “The other boys were throwing mud balls or something that day and the woman had every right to come over and tell them off, but she got angry and when my son told her to calm down she pushed him, which made him push her back.”
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: “The incident was taken seriously and a woman was initially arrested at the scene before being dear-rested in line with Police and Criminal Evidence Act guidelines.
“A woman was subsequently interviewed on suspicion of assault causing actual bodily harm. Officers took a statement from the child and an adult family friend and viewed footage from after the assault. After reviewing the available evidence, officers believed there was no realistic prospect of a conviction and made all parties aware there would be no further action.
“Victims have a right to request a review in such cases. After becoming aware of the concerns of the injured boy’s family through social media, officers got in touch with them and initiated a review of the case.
“We’d ask anyone who witnessed the incident to call 101 and give the reference 5222071897.”