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Press charges?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Okay, so I was beaten up at school today. The girl shamshed my face into a wall about four times, and I'm pretty sure my nose is broken and the whole left side of my face is swollen.
I didn't hit her or anything.

My dad says I should press charges, and get her done for assult. But... I'm not sure. And I'm not sure how to go about it either.

Help? x
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sorry to hear what happened, are you doing okay?

    Have you gone to have your injuries checked out? I believe the first step is having the damage checked out and probably get some kind of injury report and then reporting the incident to the police.

    I'm sure there are people more knowledgable about the process than I am though. Good luck, whatever you do.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes, do it- fuck her. Get injuries seen and documented. Go to popo. Have you got any witnesses?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm a firm believer that school discipline should be kept within schools - I'd also hope that if the school felt that involving the constabulary was required then that is what they would do.

    That said, it depends on the school and the situation.

    As a starting point, if you think your nose may be broken, then you need to go to A&E and get it looked at, a long with the rest of your injuries.

    If this happened at school, then you probably need discussion with your head teacher, form tutor and head of year before you go back to school to discuss what happened and how recurrence can be prevented. If it's the case that it was completely out of the blue, then there's obviously some problem going on in the other girls life that needs to be dealt with and her being in school may not be the safest thing for either her or the other students.

    Meeting with your parents and school is probably the best first step.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well, shes been suspended for 5 days. and yeah, there were about 60 witnesses, CCTV and a teacher there... think I might go down A&E if my mum lets me x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Is there a Schools liaison officer? With the injuries you've suffered I'd be uncomfortable with allowing the school to keep it "in house". A slap or a shove or a 2 sided fight is one thing, but an unprovoked attack resulting in you possibly needing hospital treatment? Bit too much I think for the school to handle.

    if you do decide to press charges the rundown is basically this.
    1)Firstly, are you willing to attend court. If you're not, then don't even go there.
    2)Assuming you are, take photographs of your injuries, make sure the photo is properly time stamped. Print them once you've taken them.
    3)A PC will come around to your house to take a statement, now in my force this should be within the hour, or you will be given a chance to make an appointment as your parents have to be there.
    4)The PC will also take his/her own photos.
    5)A file will be prepared and the offender arrested.
    6)Depending on her prior history and what she is charged with (most likely an ABH in this case) she will either get a reprimand, final warning (both types of caution) or she will be required to attend court. Whilst this is going on she may be bailed to stay away from you.

    Now as a Schools officer I'd be stepping in here to enforce the conditions within school, or make my own recommendations as to what to do with her, I'd also collate the evidence from school and give it to the investigating officer. Personally, I think 5 suspension days for breaking someone's nose is a bit lenient but it is upto the teachers. Before the suspension ends your parents are allowed to make representations to the school that the punishment isn't serious enough. If they do this it needs to be done before the girl returns. Once she's back, it's too late. She's already been punished.

    Now the whole process should ideally be fairly quick. We had an arrest for assault a couple of weeks ago. Offence was comitted on Friday (only a common assault) and the offender was arrested and cautioned on the Monday as we were off duty that weekend. Had we been at work she'd have been dealt with the day after. Now we are fairly efficient, there's no doubt in my mind it'll take longer, but no more than 4 or 5 days.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Whowhere, there isn't really much to see on my face. My cheeks a bit red and my nose is abit swollen. I went to hospital, and they said I have concussion. My nose is a bit swollen on the inside as well, and on the outside. And she chipped my tooth (which in turn made a little cut in my mouth)
    The doctor said he thinks my nose will be okay, but that if when the swelling goes down it still doesn't look right I will need to go to my GP and they'll refer me to hospital.
    Because there's not a proper mark on my face, will she not get done for assault? x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    not a clue on how you press charges but all I can say is do it, she dersevrse serious shit for doing that
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You know, everyones giving me so much shit now. Calling me a pussy and everything.
    Eurgghhh I can not be bothered :'(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You know, everyones giving me so much shit now. Calling me a pussy and everything.
    Eurgghhh I can not be bothered :'(

    You'll find that those people won't have much going on in their lives outside of the school environment, and once school finishes, they have even less going on in their lives. In response the original question, you should definitely press charges if you're worried that it will happen again. Even if you're not worried about it happening to you again right now, you should still consider it seen as you've been assaulted, and your assailant probably won't be deterred from repeating her crime by the week of school she'll get in reward. You might prevent her assaulting somebody else by pressing charges.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Press charge

    I really think u need to be concerned about urself. This girl didn't think twice about u when she beat u up or the repercussions, so why r u? Press Charges or at least take pics to collaborate evidence of what she is doing

    Good luck Hun
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    id press charges if i were you, or she'll do it again
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    fuck her, fuck what anyone else thinks- have they ever been beaten like that? It's against your human rights, press charges!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Assault does not necessarily require that marks are left on the body. The schools CCTV can show what happened, the medical records of your trip to A&E can be used and witneeses to the incident can give statements as to what had happened.

    Photographs assist when it comes to matters of what charge to bring and then can also play a role in helping the court to decide an appropriate sentence.

    It must be your decision whether you wish to make a formal complaint to the Police and Whowhere's advice is good advice (and much better than I can give, given we have a different definition of assault North of the Border)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Because there's not a proper mark on my face, will she not get done for assault? x

    Then what you have is a common assault, in which case the offender will likely get a caution. The last person I arrested strangled another girl she'd been bullying. That was caught on CCTV and her reaction was quite funny showing it her when she denied doing anything wrong.

    Do you have a schools officer? The alternative to her being arrested is that he step in and deal with it, and all the hangers on who have started making things more difficult.

    I deal with minor assaults like this all the time, and facebook/mobile phone bullying as that's my job. We run something called restorative justice, which is where once she has been punished she has to sit with you, and your parents. You and your parents explain to her what youre feeling, how the assault has effected you and about all the other shit that is going on. Generally she will then have to explain in detail why she did what she did and apologise.

    It sounds very airy fairy but it gets surprisingly good results, especially in bullying cases where the victim just wants to be left alone. The offender sees the harm they're causing (people rarely break down in front of the offender) and usually realises they're being a total douche, and they stop. With the threat that if they carry on they get arrested.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Whowhere, she chipped my tooth.. does that count as "leaving a mark" or does it have to be a mark on the skin? And also, she admitted what she did in a school statement.

    I'm going in to school today, but there's so much shit all over facebook I know I'm just going to leave as soon as I get there. Everyone's going to be saying so much shit, and I'm not dealing with it. Right now, I just want to curl up in a little ball and die. I was so close to self harming last night, and I text my boyfriend, and he just said if I self harm then me and him are over... so, I've lost my friends, I've lost my rep, and now I'm loosing him :(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Whowhere, she chipped my tooth.. does that count as "leaving a mark"

    Yes, it counts. Actual bodily harm there.

    I can't help you any more than I have done, I do know that going it alone as you seem to be trying to do isn't necessarily the best option, especially if you're getting shit from all angles.

    As for facebook, block them or stop using facebook. it's a fucking nightmare, and the bullies make great use of it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks Whowhere :) x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You will soon realise that people who are treating you like shit, because someone did a disgusting and unacceptable thing to you, they will never go anywhere in life.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Mmm I guess :/

    I don't even know if I'm going to be able to report it now, as I wont be able to until Monday which seems too late to me :( x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Agree with whowhere (always a first time, eh?), block anyone nasty on FB.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Mmm I guess :/

    I don't even know if I'm going to be able to report it now, as I wont be able to until Monday which seems too late to me :( x

    The police work 24/7....you don't need to wait until Monday.

    And Kat, I'm not all bad really :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I know you're not x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well, I've lost all respect for the police yet again.

    They can't do anything because she's only 14, and therefore under the age of criminal responsibility. BULLSHIT. One of my friends is 13, and has now got a criminal record that wont be wiped till she's 18, because she "assaulted" someone.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That's just wrong, whatever officer you spoke to just doesn't know the law very well. Speak to someone else.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    That's just wrong, whatever officer you spoke to just doesn't know the law very well. Speak to someone else.

    They said I can go down to the station on monday and speak to them, but they wont do anything more than they said they'd do on the phone. (they said they'd "document" what she's done, but wouldn't actually speak to her.)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    In England and Wales the age of criminal responsibility is 10 and in Scotland it's even younger at age 8. That's absolute rubbish. Ask to speak to a more senior officer.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I know it is... my mums just told me to "leave it" now. She didn't want me to tell the police anyway. :/
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    At least go back one more time and ask to see someone senior. Its worth it if you can get her done, she could so easily do it to someone else.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    She's going to do it to someone else, she's already made that clear. x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Even more reason to go back to the police
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