Police Pay £20,000 to Parents Unlawfully Arrested Over School WhatsApp Complaints

Hertfordshire Constabulary has agreed to pay £20,000 in damages to Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine, a couple who were unlawfully arrested after complaining about their daughter's primary school on a private WhatsApp group and via email. The parents were detained by six uniformed officers in January and held for eight hours on suspicion of harassment, malicious communications, and causing a nuisance on school property. The incident, which garnered significant public attention, stems from a series of disputes with Cowley Hill Primary School in Borehamwood.

The arrests followed the school's objections to the couple's communications, which included questioning the recruitment process for a new headteacher and criticising leadership within a parents' WhatsApp group. Maxie Allen, a Times Radio producer, and his partner, Rosalind Levine, were reportedly banned from the school premises prior to their arrest. According to reports, the police force initially defended its actions but later admitted that the legal test for the necessity of arrest was not met.

Hertfordshire Constabulary confirmed its acceptance of liability for wrongful arrest and detention, stating that while no officer misconduct was found, the legal criteria for the arrest were "not made out." The £20,000 payout, along with legal costs, was an out-of-court settlement. The couple expressed a sense of vindication, with Mr. Allen hoping the case would positively influence how such issues are handled in the future.

The case has sparked a wider debate regarding free speech, police powers, and the appropriate response to parental complaints about schools. Critics argue that the police's involvement in what was essentially a school dispute represented a significant overreach. The couple stated they were never explicitly told which of their communications were deemed criminal, describing the situation as "completely Kafkaesque."