Parents Arrested Over WhatsApp Remark Win Damages

Ten months after their arrest, Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine have received an admission of wrongdoing from Hertfordshire Constabulary and will be paid £20,000 in damages. The couple was detained for 11 hours on suspicion of "malicious communications, harassment and causing a nuisance on school premises" after expressing criticism of their elder daughter's primary school in a private WhatsApp group.

Their unlawful arrest, which saw officers arrive at their home during a Zoom call and in front of their younger child, left them disoriented and traumatized. The incident led to their elder daughter being withdrawn from the school. The police force has since admitted the arrest was unnecessary, though they maintain they had "reasonable suspicion" based on the school's report.

While acknowledging the police's admission, the couple highlights the lack of an apology and the lasting emotional impact of the event. They emphasize that their legal action was about accountability and preventing similar misuse of police power for "hurt feelings" or to stifle legitimate scrutiny, a concern echoed by recent shifts in policing practices regarding non-crime incidents.