Councillor 'intimidated' in WhatsApp arrest case

A former county councillor said she felt "intimidated" by police after she contacted a primary school on behalf of parents who were later unlawfully arrested.

Cowley Hill Primary School in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, said it involved police after receiving emails and "upsetting and derogatory social media posts on Facebook and WhatsApp" from two parents.

Hertfordshire Police paid £20,000 in damages to Rosalind Levine and Maxie Allen after it said the "legal test around necessity of arrest was not met".

Michelle Vince, a councillor at the time, said police told her she also could be accused of harassment and misconduct in relation to the case.

Ms Levine and Mr Allen said it was an "emotional moment" when the Hertfordshire force accepted liability after the couple were wrongly held for 11 hours on suspicion of harassment and malicious communications in January.

They said they were banned from entering the school grounds after questioning the recruitment process for a head teacher and criticising the leadership in a WhatsApp group for parents.

They said they were "prohibited" from doing the daily drop-off and pick up as well as attending school shows and parents' evenings.

Ms Vince told the BBC she had also contacted the school after "several parents" told her they were worried about the recruitment process for the head teacher.

"I emailed Cowley Hill School in May 2024 asking if the position had been openly advertised," she said.

She later contacted the school to follow this up and ask about the ban involving her constituents Mr Allen and Ms Levine, but Hertfordshire Police told her to stop contacting the school, she said.

"I got a call from police on 20 December, saying that my communication with the school could be considered as misconduct in a public office.

"Then I received an email asking me not to contact either the school or to assist Ros and Maxie," she added.

The BBC has seen an email from a police officer to Ms Vince, requesting that "your communication as a third party ceases from this point onwards as you may find yourself liable to being recorded as a suspect in a harassment investigation".

Ms Vince said the experience had left her frightened.

"I had to put cameras up outside my house because I was told the police would be paying me a visit, too," she said.

"Many people have said to me, 'There must be more to their arrest than this', but there really isn't.

"Other parents are frightened to come forward."

A spokesperson for Cowley Hill Primary School said: "As a school, we welcome dialogue with parents. However, the nature and large volume of the communication and public posts meant that the school was no longer able to manage using normal internal procedures.

"As a result, we sought advice from the police."

Hertfordshire Police told the BBC: "While there are no issues of misconduct involving any officer in relation to this matter, Hertfordshire Constabulary has accepted liability solely on the basis that the legal test around necessity of arrest was not met in this instance.

"Therefore, Mr Haddow-Allen and Ms Levine were wrongfully arrested and detained."

The force declined to comment on the allegations made by Ms Vince.

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