Schoolboy, 14, Arrested After Video Of Attack On Boy With Learning Difficulties Posted On Facebook

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested after a video of an assault on another pupil who desperately tried to defend himself was posted online.

The Facebook clip appears to show a teenager from Winifred Holtby School in Hull, East Yorkshire, repeatedly hitting another boy, lashing out six times with his fists and headbutting him twice.

Pupils have condemned the 27-second video taken on a school bus, which has been shared more than 200 times, with nearly 700 Facebook users expressing their anger and sadness over the attack

The boy allegedly being assaulted, who was said to suffer from learning difficulties, could be heard repeatedly saying that he did not want an argument. He did not fight back at any point of the video.

Some commenters suggested the aggressor could be assaulted himself because so many people are angered by the clip, which showed the attacker eventually being pulled away by another pupil.

Humberside Police acted after being made aware of the video, with officers going to the school to arrest a 14-year-old boy and interview him. He was bailed and has not been charged.

Mike Birkenshaw, Winifred Holtby’s deputy head for community, said staff at the school were ‘liaising with the appropriate authorities in dealing with this extremely unpleasant incident’.

He added: ‘While we will not specifically discuss this case, we do not and we will not tolerate the behaviour shown. The school’s behaviour policy clearly states our expectations for our students.

‘We will do everything we can by using the school powers that are available to us to uphold not only the reputation of the school but our local community as well.’

Sue Yardley, senior education officer for behaviour and attendance at Hull City Council, said: ‘This behaviour is absolutely unacceptable.

‘Schools have the power to discipline actions such as this, even when it occurs outside of school, in accordance with their discipline policy.

‘The council, along with its partners, works with all schools to help ensure safety for pupils both in and outside of school, as well as working with them regarding their bullying policies, social media policies and e-safety to help protect children and young people wherever possible.’