Furious mum blasts school chiefs after her autistic son was handcuffed by police on first day of term

A FURIOUS mum has slammed school chiefs after her autistic son was handcuffed by police during his first day back.

Sharron Faiq said school staff called the cops after 5ft-tall Rayan, 12, pushed a dinner lady who, it is claimed, insisted he change trainers even though he was allowed to wear them.


Sharron was called out to Dukeries Academy to get her son and was shocked to see Rayan being "pinned down in handcuffs on a table" by an officer, according to the Mirror.

The 51-year-old NHS worker said her son was "being treated like a criminal".

Sharron filmed the incident, which has seen viewed more than 900,000 times on Facebook.

The distressing clip shows a staff member holding Rayan by his ankles while the cop puts him into an arm lock.

"I couldn’t believe it. Rayan’s only small," Sharron, 51, said as she explained the school was aware he had the wrong shoes and had said it was fine.

"I told the school I was getting a pair. They said trainers were OK for now."

Despite wearing everything but the right shoes, one dinner lady allegedly told Rayan to change, leading him to shove her in the stomach.

"She didn’t know he had special needs – but the school managers would know," the mum said.

"They overreacted and manhandled him before calling police. I still can’t believe this could have happened to him on his first day."

Sharron is now taking legal action after the school suspended Rayan and removed him from its roll.

She sent the headteacher a list of questions regarding the incident but still hasn't received a response.

POLICE CALLED "FAR TOO OFTEN"

Rayan has been out of classrooms since primary school due to issues around support funding and can't receive regular schooling due to his autism.

Insp Charlotte Allardice of Notts Police said: "We understand incidents like these are emotive when viewed on social media, but this does not always tell all of the circumstances.

"In situations like this we do all we can to defuse an incident to protect the public including other pupils, the individual themselves and the attending officers."

The academy said it would not comment on matters involving individual pupils.

Meanwhile, Nottinghamshire county council said it was in touch with Sharron and Rayan and are offering help.

Education lawyer Dan Rosenberg told the Mirror that police are used "far too often" in school which should be equipped to deal with such incidents.

Tim Nicholls, of the National Autistic Society, said: "In all but the most extreme circumstances, it is wrong for any child to be put in handcuffs.

"Restraint can be traumatic and dangerous. It’s vital this is properly investigated, including by the police.

"About one in 100 people are autistic. School staff and police should understand what that’s like."


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