Restorative justice approach to schoolboy assault

The teenager was given first aid by a caretaker, and spent several days in Glenfield Hospital, Leicestershire, where he was subsequently diagnosed with a potentially life threatening medical condition, which could have caused him to collapse at any time. 

A full investigation was carried out and, due to the age of both boys and the nature of the incident, it was agreed that a ‘Restorative Justice’ approach was the best solution.

Sergeant Deb Barton, who is the Force lead in Restorative Justice, said: “I am working closely with both the victim and his family and the other boy and his parents to establish a conclusion that works for everyone.

“The incident shouldn’t have happened; however, it led to the victim receiving medical treatment that saved his life and has since identified a condition which could have caused him to collapse at another time.

“But instead of progressing down the criminal justice route, the victim’s family simply wanted to ensure the other boy was aware of what his actions led to, and the possible consequences that any sort of violence can have.

“Restorative Justice is also an important tool for us to quickly reintegrate the victim back into school.

“We don’t want to see young people criminalised for acting rashly or making a bad decision in the heat of the moment. Restorative Justice enables us to mediate between both parties and establish a solution that is best placed for all involved. It also ensures that both boys can now move on from what happened and put it behind them.”