POLICE are investigating a ‘nasty’ bullying attack on two boys and have arrested three teens. Officers said the two 10-year-olds were extremely frightened and intimated by their ordeal.
Fortunately, said a police spokesman, neither was injured but the incident is being treated as assault.
A 13-year-old boy and two 15-year-old girls have been arrested and are being questioned about an alleged incident at Oatlands.
Investigating officers PCs Andy Dawson and Jim Spelman are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to contact them.
And parents of the two schoolboys have demanded action from the States.
Oatlands director Gareth Griffin today said that the park took a zero tolerance approach to any incidents of bullying or bad behaviour on the site.
‘Even incidents of swearing we take seriously,’ he said.
The parents do not blame Oatlands.
The 10-year-olds, whose parents have asked not to be identified, were allegedly verbally and physically assaulted by three teenagers during a half-hour attack.
After being dropped off at the leisure park, they were approached at around 5pm by the youths while they were playing mini-golf on Tuesday 23 October.
According to the boys, the older youths started messing around with the balls they were playing with. One teenager then started shoving one of the youngsters around and swearing.
‘We felt scared and annoyed,’ he said. ‘We hadn’t done anything to them and they wouldn’t tell us why they were doing it.’
Backing away from the mini-golf course, one of the friends was then pushed away and into a wall.
The other was allegedly threatened with a lighted cigarette.
‘A girl was dabbing the end that was lit right near my cheek,’ said the victim. ‘It didn’t actually burn me, but it was hot and it scared me.’
The other boy was then punched in the chest leaving him with a slight injury.
When one mother arrived, she was surprised to see the youngsters waiting at the bus stop nearby after having arranged, as usual, to pick them up from within the grounds.
‘I knew from the look on their faces that something had happened.’
After talking briefly to the two boys, she decided to confront the mother of one of the teenagers.
‘But when I spoke to her, she basically ignored everything I had said, saying that they had just been messing around,’ she said.
‘I was quite nervous but I said to her: ﾓThis is not normal behaviourﾔ.
‘You feel quite intimidated by these people,’ she said.
Returning to her car with the boys, she saw the teenagers walking towards a vehicle. She gave its registration number to police.
‘On the way, the boys told me more about it, in particular the cigarette incident,’ said the mother.
‘I nearly cried but wanted to be strong in front of the boys.’
Since reporting the matter, they say the police have taken it very seriously and had been in touch every day. ‘It’s the mental trauma,’ said the other mother who fears leaving her son alone. She is now afraid to let him go to the corner shop by himself, something he had often done in the past.
‘It’s a very unfortunate time for this to happen - just when they’re gaining their independence,’ she added.
‘It’s the randomness of the attack.’
Calling for more action to protect island youngsters, the other mum added: ‘Guernsey’s a safe place but there are too many teenagers who have got problems.’
She said the States needed to work more in the community to crack down on bullying.
Her husband agreed.
‘But it’s not enough to put them in a cell - you wonder when they will strike next,’ he said.
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