A deaf schoolboy was left scrambling to pick up his cochlear implant after being attacked at a school bus stop. Reece Bradbury, 11, who communicates with sign language, is "jumpy" since the incident and has suffered panic attacks.
CCTV captured the assault at John Rice’s petrol station in Blythe Bridge, Staffordshire, where the youngster sought refuge. The upsetting footage, recorded at around 8.25am on September 28, can be viewed below.
Reece attends Painsley Catholic College in Cheadle but the two boys who appoached the youngster were reportedly from Blythe Bridge High School. Describing the incident as "malicious and unprovoked", his dad Daniel said: "You can't attack a disabled child and get away with it."
Staffordshire Police said the other boys' school had "taken ownership" of the situation - but Daniel, 31, believes his family were been let down by the force. "We need to get people to understand that it’s not right," he said.
“No-one is perfect but I would never in a million years approach a disabled child and intimidate, bully or attack. It’s disgusting," he said.
As reported by Stoke-on-Trent Live, the dad said it had had a "massive impact" on Reece, who has been deaf since birth. "He was standing on his own and two lads who he doesn’t even know have just come up to him," he said.
"He had to go into the petrol station to find refuge and stay safe. The most upsetting part is that his implant came off his head.
"He was on the ground, scrambling for the only thing that could make him hear. He was completely vulnerable."
Staffordshire Police said the other boys' school had "taken ownership" of the situation - but Daniel believes his family has been let down by the force. "I’m upset with the police because they do not want to do anything about it," he said.
"It’s like they are not bothered. It’s not a school fight. It wasn’t in school. It was an attack, not a fight. It’s had a massive impact on Reece.
“He is scared to go to the bus stop. If you move quickly, he is jumpy. He was having panic attacks a week or so after it and bursts of random emotion.
"We live in a society where things are getting so bad. The police are advertising for children not to be scared of the police and to go to them if they feel unsafe but how can they when the police don’t do anything to help them?"
A force spokesman said Reece did not require medical treatment but was left "shaken" as a result. Officer spoke with him "a short time later".
"The school took ownership over the incident and disciplinary action was taken against the other boy involved," he said. "Local officers will continue to attend the school involved to hold educational talks with pupils and staff following the incident."
Blythe Bridge High School said the police handed a resolution order to one of the youngsters, which allows officers to deal with a matter without formal criminal justice sanctions. A spokesman for the school said: "We have been working with Staffordshire Police following an incident in the area involving one of our students.
"We have regularly liaised with the officers in charge, this has involved working in partnership with Staffordshire Police. The student has received a resolution order by Staffordshire Police."
