Moment dad who complained on WhatsApp group is arrested for ‘harassment’ and led away by six police officers
THIS is the moment a couple who complained about their daughter’s school’s recruitment process was arrested for “harassment” and led away by SIX police officers.
Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine were detained on suspicion of harassment and malicious communications after what they describe as a “trivial” dispute.
They had sent multiple emails to Cowley Primary School in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire and made “disparaging” comments on a WhatsApp group for parents.
CCTV footage shows the uniformed cops walking up to the front door of the couple’s home, also in Borehamwood, in January.
They are then seen being led by away in front of their crying daughter and spent six hours in a cell.
Hertfordshire Police conducted a five-week investigation before deciding there was no case to answer.
Times Radio producer Maxie, 50, said the action was “dystopian” and a “massive overreach”.
He accused Cowley Hill of trying to “silence awkward parents”.
He told The Times: “I was just in complete disbelief. It was just unfathomable to me that things had escalated to this degree.
“It was absolutely nightmarish. I couldn’t believe this was happening, that a public authority could use the police to close down a legitimate inquiry.
“We’d never used abusive or threatening language, even in private, and always followed due process. Yet we have never even been told what these communications were that were supposedly criminal, which is completely Kafkaesque.”
Maxie and Rosalind, 46, were also accused of causing a nuisance on school property.
However, they maintain they haven’t been to school since last July – and the allegations have never been explained.
Former governor Maxie had questioned why an open recruitment process hadn’t begun after the school’s headteacher announced he was retiring in May last year.
He had hoped a meeting would be held to explain the process.
Chair of governors Jackie Spriggs then reportedly told parents “inflammatory and defamatory” comments had been made on social media.
She also warned action would be taken against anyone causing “disharmony”.
Maxie and Rosalind were subsequently banned from the school’s premises after being accused of “casting aspersions” on Ms Spriggs.
The couple claim they were then barred from attending a parents’ evening for nine-year-old daughter Sascha, and were not allowed to go to her Christmas performance.
The schoolgirl has epilepsy, as well as being neurodivergent and registered disabled.
Maxie and Rosalind say they sent emails to the school to address their daughter’s needs.
On January 29, Rosalind was looking after youngest daughter Francesa, three, when half a dozen officers arrived at the door.
She said she feared “Sascha was dead” and said her toddler was “cowering in the corner, she was terrified”.
Maxie added he believes the school used the cops “to close down legitimate inquiries” but doesn’t understand why the force “played along”.
The school says it sought advice from the police following a “high volume” of correspondence, including social media posts, which had upset staff and parents.
A spokesman added: “We’re always happy for parents to raise concerns, but we do ask that they do this in a suitable way, and in line with the school’s published complaints procedure.”
Hertfordshire County Council said Louise Thomas was appointed interim head of the school for one term before a full recruitment process was carried out.
The force said the officers dispatched to the address were needed to secure electronic devices and care for the children there.
A spokesman said: “The arrests were necessary to fully investigate the allegations as is routine in these types of matters.
“Following further investigations, officers deemed that no further action should be taken due to insufficient evidence.”
The Sun has approached the police, school and council for further comment.