Northumbria Police is investigating allegations that a North Shields schoolboy was left with facial injuries after being attacked by another pupil at a school for children with special educational needs.
Joseph Dunn, 12, has a puncture wound in his cheek and also suffered an injury to his jaw - which "swelled up massively" - just minutes into the school day at Southlands School in North Shields. Northumbria Police has confirmed the force is investigating the incident, which saw Joseph taken to hospital. He is now recovering.
Mum Naomi Dunn said the incident had left both Joseph and herself traumatised. She said she had been called by school staff on Tuesday and told that following their arrival at school, her son had been involved in a fight and then attacked. She said Joseph, who has a diagnosis for ADHD and has suspected autism, had "taken himself off" to the school's gym where he was then allegedly attacked again by another pupil and stabbed in the face with a pen.
She alleged her son had been hit with a water bottle and then attacked with a pen - which penetrated "right the way through" his cheek. Naomi said she was concerned at how this had happened, and wanted to highlight the importance of ensuring children were aware of the dangers of violence.
She said: "He was absolutely traumatised. He was shaken up badly by this. Initially I was really concerned by the big thing on his face - it had all swollen up and looked like he'd broken his jaw. It was such a shock seeing him like that. But it's actually the smaller wound that's worse - it's a puncture right through his cheek."
She said at one stage her son had been unable to open his mouth more than a centimetre, though in the days since, his swelling has gone down. Though she said Joseph still had had to face name-calling due to the shocking cut on the side of his face. Naomi said young people needed to be more aware of the consequences of violence, both for victims and those responsible.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 9.30am on Tuesday November 29, we received a report that a student had assaulted another student at a school in North Tyneside. Enquiries are ongoing into the incident. Officers are liaising with the school and all parties involved.”
North Tyneside Council and Southlands School both said it would be inappropriate for them to comment on an ongoing police investigation.
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