After a teaching assistant abused her kid, a mother of a special needs child demanded that all special schools have closed-circuit television.
Her thirteen-year-old Wolverhampton son Tobie is autistic and nonverbal.
Charlotte, his mother, said a security camera filmed the twenty-minute abuse, which included kicking, pushing, and holding his head down.
“To see that man attack him in a place he thought was safe—it was horrendous,” Charlotte said.boy killed
The attacker of Tobie, William Kevin Clifford, 61, pleaded guilty to child abuse at Wolverhampton Crown Court earlier this month. His punishment was nine months suspended.
Warning: this story of an assault may upset some readers.
Tobie attends Wolverhampton’s Tettenhall Wood School, where the playground assault occurred.
The school said it “followed all processes correctly” and that “children’s safety and wellbeing were always at the heart of everything we do.”
It’s clear from the grainy film that Tobie was assaulted many times in 20 minutes.
Tobie tried to stand up, and Clifford attacked him, knocking him down and pressing his face against the ground.
The teaching assistant kneed Tobie in the back when he was hiding behind a playground gate. Tobie tried to crawl away, but the assistant followed.
William Clifford received a suspended sentence for assaulting Tobie Clifford for 20 minutes. Despite her son’s April 2023 assault, Charlotte Clifford had never viewed the film until her court appearance.I was utterly heartbroken, I was utterly horrified,” he said. “For the life of me
I cannot understand what would make a person want to do that.”
Throughout his childhood, Tobie loved school. The 13-year-old, who has a mental age of two, needs individualised help, and Charlotte had always trusted the adults around him.but
She was shocked when the school called to say her child had been hurt by a staff member.but
I had to phone the principal again. She repeated that my child was assaulted, so I assumed it was an error.boy killed
Due to his incapacity to speak, Tobie was unable to tell his mother what happened when he returned home that evening angry and worried.boy killed
West Midlands police William Clifford is bald, bearded, and has a left eyebrow piercing in this photo.West Midlands police
William Clifford received a suspended sentence for abusing minors.boy killed
The evidence caught Charlotte’s eye fast. After the police told her to “body map” Tobie, she found him covered with bruises and marks.boy killed
Charlotte said, “If that security camera had not picked it but up, then we would never have known what had happened to Tobie.”boy killed
“If this could happen in Tobie’s school, with a formidable team of staff, it can happen anywhere.”boy killed
Charlotte, who called the school “excellent,” had no problems there. She believes all schools that admit vulnerable children should have closed-circuit television cameras in corridors, classrooms, and playgrounds for at least one year. At present, schools decide whether to install CCTV.
The Scottish Parliament rejected activists’ demand to make surveillance mandatory due to worries about the right balance between privacy and safety.
Family unit Tobie swims in a freshwater pool for the camera. He wears brown t-shirt and black ear protection.Family unit
Tobie’s incapacity to speak prevented him from telling his mother what happened.
Positive and Active Behaviour Support Scotland founder Beth Morrison helps over 4,000 UK families. Most of these families have asked for her help after their child returned from school with unexplained injuries.
She said closed-circuit television would protect youngsters with special disabilities who couldn’t tell their parents if something happened.
“We are not calling for CCTV in all schools, only settings with vulnerable children,” she told reporters.
Since most of our youngsters cannot talk, they cannot communicate with us. They are unreliable witnesses. Nothing is recorded, no tape, and no evidence if something happened.Justice cannot be achieved without CCTV.
The Association of School and College Leaders said schools must consider privacy and cost, but this kind of serious incident is rare.
Charlotte called Tobie “very resilient” despite his world being turned upside down and his inability to trust anyone.
“I am extremely proud of him for returning to the same school with his trusted adults, whom I also trust… So pleased for him.” Even though that man hurt him, he’s doing well.
