Hertfordshire Constabulary has formally admitted to the unlawful arrest of two parents, Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine, following a dispute in a school WhatsApp group. The force has agreed to a £20,000 payout after conceding that the legal grounds for the arrest were not met.
The Arrest and Detention
The incident unfolded in January when six uniformed officers arrived at the couple's home in Borehamwood. Doorbell footage captured the moment police detained Allen, 50, and Levine, 47, in front of their nine-year-old disabled daughter. The pair were held at a police station for 11 hours on suspicion of harassment, malicious communications, and causing a nuisance on school property.
The conflict originated from the couple's involvement in a parents' WhatsApp group for Cowley Hill Primary School. After they voiced criticisms concerning the school's headteacher and leadership, the school governors issued a warning about "inflammatory and defamatory" social media comments. The school subsequently banned Allen and Levine from its premises.
Police Admission and Payout
Initially, Hertfordshire police defended the arrests as necessary for a full investigation. However, after concluding its probe with "no further action" due to insufficient evidence, the force's legal team made a significant admission this month.
They conceded that the criteria for arrest under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 were "not made out", thereby rendering the arrest unlawful. The constabulary agreed to pay £10,000 to each parent, acknowledging the sums were "significantly above that required by the case law" and reflected a desire to resolve the matter.
Aftermath and Family's Reaction
The couple described the entire ordeal as "completely Kafkaesque", stating they were never informed which of their communications were considered criminal. They had emailed the school regularly about their daughter's needs after the ban and were eventually advised by an officer in December to remove her from the school, which they did the following month.
Levine expressed her ongoing bewilderment to Sky News, stating, "We cannot fathom what happened; it doesn't make any sense. We made a few inquiries, we had a bit of banter on a WhatsApp group, and then we were arrested." Despite the admission of an unlawful arrest, Hertfordshire police stated that no officer faced misconduct proceedings in relation to the matter.
