Hertfordshire Police have agreed to pay £20,000 to Rosalind Levine and Maxie Allen after admitting their arrest was unlawful. The couple were detained for 11 hours in January following complaints about their daughter's primary school on a private WhatsApp group.
Levine and Allen were arrested by six uniformed officers on suspicion of harassment, malicious communications, and causing a nuisance on school property. The force initially defended the arrest but later conceded that the legal test for necessity was not met under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
Allen, a Times Radio producer, said the incident had affected their three-year-old daughter, who witnessed her mother being taken away by police. Levine described the arrest as a 'horrible experience' involving loss of liberty and freedom.
The couple had previously been banned from Cowley Hill Primary School in Borehamwood after criticising its headteacher and leadership in a WhatsApp group. The school claimed a 'high volume of direct correspondence and public social media posts' had become upsetting for staff and parents.
Hertfordshire Police stated there were no misconduct issues but accepted liability because the arrest criteria were not met. A spokesperson said it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.
Levine expressed concern that other people may be experiencing similar unlawful arrests, calling for police forces to review their actions and ensure they act correctly.
