Parents Receive £20,000 After Wrongful Arrest in School WhatsApp Dispute
Hertfordshire Constabulary has paid £20,000 in damages to two parents who were wrongfully arrested after complaining about their daughter's primary school in a WhatsApp group. Rosalind Levine, 46, and Maxie Allen, 50, were each paid £10,000 following the incident in January 2025, which saw six police officers arrive at their home.
The Arrest and Detention
The couple were arrested on suspicion of harassment, malicious communications, and causing a nuisance on school property. They were taken from their home in front of their crying daughter and detained for 11 hours, with eight of those hours spent in a police cell. The arrest followed complaints from Cowley Primary School in Hertfordshire about a high volume of direct correspondence and public social media posts from the parents.
Ms Levine and Mr Allen had been questioning the school's recruitment process for a head teacher and later criticised its leadership in a parents' WhatsApp group. This led to them being banned from the school premises. The pair claimed they continued to message the school concerning their daughter, who has epilepsy, is neurodivergent, and is registered as disabled.
Police U-Turn and Settlement
While the force initially defended its actions, stating the investigation was justified due to the number of messages, it later accepted liability. A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Constabulary stated: "Hertfordshire Constabulary has accepted liability solely on the basis that the legal test around necessity of arrest was not met in this instance. Therefore Mr Haddow-Allen and Ms Levine were wrongfully arrested and detained." The force confirmed no officer misconduct was found.
Speaking to The Times, Mr Allen said, "We're very pleased Hertfordshire constabulary have recognised, albeit belatedly, that our arrests were unlawful." He expressed hope that the case would positively influence how such issues are handled in future, adding, "The police should not be a tool for public authorities to close down legitimate comment and scrutiny."
Ms Levine told the BBC she was "very pleased" with the outcome and that they could now "begin to put this whole episode behind us." The couple had previously been issued a warning by police to remove their daughter from the school in December 2024, which they did a month later.
Broader Implications for Parental Rights
This case has sparked a significant debate about the limits of free speech, the use of police power, and the rights of parents to raise concerns about their children's education. The incident highlights the potential for conflict between schools and parents on digital platforms and the serious consequences that can arise from disputes conducted over messaging apps.
