Warning: this post contains graphic images which may be distressing for some readers.
British mum Laney describes her seven-year-old son, Jak, as “quiet, caring, loving”.
Now, her little boy is recovering in hospital after a vicious attack by school bullies left him with a tennis-ball sized head injury.
"My son was bullied all this term by one child," Laney wrote on a Facebook page she has set up, called Justice For Jak.
"He has been whipped with skipping ropes, stabbed with a pencil, scratched, punched, called names, stabbed with paper clips, hit around the face with a tennis racket," she wrote.
Laney wrote that the bully, along with his brother and two friends, had "jumped on Jak's head" during one incident.
"But the latest incident on [March 23, 2017], the bully was hitting my son in school and pushed him so hard he hit his head on a metal pole. The school did not give him a head injury letter or even a cold compress," she wrote.
The next day, the bump on Jak's head was swollen. Five days later, Jak was put on antibiotics as the lump "had started leaking puss".
On April 1, when Jak was supposed to be celebrating his seventh birthday, he instead "sat in the toilet until his friends left his own party," Laney wrote.
The distraught mother said her son's pain was so bad he "cried all night in my bed".
Despite taking him to hospital numerous times, Laney was told Jak was simply suffering from a concussion. Almost two weeks after he hit his head, Jak underwent surgery to "drain the blood clot that had formed" in the lump and remove "pus that had gathered in his head".
LISTEN: Jo and Trevor discuss what to do when your kids are in inappropriate relationships on The Parent Code.
Laney has set up the Facebook page to make others aware of what has happened to her little boy, and encourage others to "stand up to bullies". She's also shared graphic images of Jak's head injury.
Since the surgery, he has been admitted to theatre twice more to have drains inserted into his head, and is being given painkillers and antibiotics via a drip.
Laney claimed the school has refused to acknowledge the role of the bully in Jak's injury.
"My son has been in a hospital bed for 6 days, not once has the bully missed a break time or received any punishment," she wrote.
"[The school sent] a letter sent to all parents saying that it was a MINOR INJURY that has got infected...I'm appalled at the school that I send my children to for 6 hours, 5 days a week to be put in danger and then dismissed."
Laney said she has also contacted local police about the incident, who said they were unable to help because "Jak and his bully are aged under 10".
In a statement to The Mirror about the incident Superintendent Tom Harding from West Mercia Police said that Jak "suffered a minor injury during an altercation with another pupil at school, then sadly developed an infection".
"The age of criminal responsibility in England is 10 years old and therefore children under the age of 10 cannot be criminally liable for their actions.
"With the welfare of the children as our focus we have worked with the school and both families concerned to address any underlying issues."
Top Comments
My friend's daughter was bullied at school. The school did not follow through on addressing the issues, no punishment for the bully and the victim was made to feel like an outcast. So my friend decided to take the matter further and went to the police to report the incident. This alone made the school stand up and take notice. If another incident were to happen, at least there would be evidence of a prior incident report being lodged with police. Also, I find any mention of a media outlet is enough to stir people into action. Bullying of any kind is not acceptable. Zero tolerance. Head injuries are becoming so common now, with coward punches - tougher laws need to be introduced to stamp this type of behaviour out, once and for all. This is clearly assault. I hope the school has acted and the bullies have been expelled from your school or steps have been taken to take the bullies through a program, to show them the error of their ways, a face to face with Jak to apologise and work together to address all of the issues facing everyone involved - emotional, mental and physical. My thoughts and prayers are with Jak and his family as they heal during this time.
When hes better take him to self defence classes.This will be good for his confidence.Then tell the school youve instructed him to defend himself if anyone trys to assault him and you will back him one hundred percent