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NewsSchools boycott threatened after sickening attack on girl, six

Schools boycott threatened after sickening attack on girl, six

FURIOUS parents are threatening a schools boycott following a sickening sex attack on a six-year-old girl.

The primary school pupil was allegedly assaulted in Prestonpans, East Lothian, on January 23 by two boys, aged 10 and 12.

Many parents in the area are angry that the boys continue to attend schools in the area.

And they have threatened that unless the alleged culprits are removed from the area, local schools will be “empty” next week.

Parents, including the mother and father of the girl, attended a meeting of Prestonpans Community Council meeting on Tuesday.

The father of the girl told the meeting: “We were told the only thing we could do was move away ourselves.

“Nothing was being done and we believe other parents had the right to know what had happened.”

One unnamed mother told the meeting: “Unless action is taken, East Lothian Council will have empty schools next week.”

Another said: “The schools were made aware of the incident and parents should have been told.

“Pupils have been suspended while investigations are carried out into allegations far less serious than this.

“Why, then, was no action taken in this incident? What is being done to protect our children?”

The mother of the girl, in an earlier Facebook post, claimed: “They dragged my six-year-old daughter into a private car park behind our house and carried out a horrific serious sexual assault on her three weeks ago.

“What she has been through since then her nightmare has been never ending. She has had to go for two DNA forensic examinations.”

The mother added: “She sees them daily going out with there friends, walking back and forward to school. She can’t go out alone she is too terrified.

“And what happens to them? Because of their age they cannot be punished. All they get is social workers and psychiatric assessments. In other words, they are free to go free to live their lives and free to do it again to other young girls.”

The mother said the police “recommended that we move house because it is unhealthy to […] to live here”.

She asked: “But why should we move we haven’t done anything we are the victims? We need the boys prosecuted or moved out of our schools.”

A spokeswoman for East Lothian Council said they were setting up meetings with parent council chairs and office bearers to discuss the council’s child safety responsibilities and listen to parents’ concerns.

She added: “East Lothian Council is putting in place a temporary alternative arrangement that maintains its legal responsibilities in relation to education for all involved.”

Police Scotland said they were called following a report of a sexual assault in the Prestonpans area.

“The incident was reported to police on Monday, January 23, and a 12-year-old boy has since been reported to the Children’s Reporter,” said a spokesman.

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