Noxious fluid 'sprayed in pupils' faces' in playground attack at Dagenham school

The alleged attack happened in the playground of The Sydney Russell School in Dagenham
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Three London schoolchildren, including a 13-year-old girl, were taken to hospital after a playground attack in which a “noxious substance” was allegedly thrown in their faces.

Three schoolboys were arrested after the alleged attack, in which five other pupils also had the corrosive substance squirted into their faces in the “shocking” incident at Sydney Russell School in Dagenham.

In total three people, believed to be two girls and a boy, were taken to an east London hospital for treatment, police said.

They have all since been discharged.

It was alleged a group of girls were playing together when they were targeted by fellow pupils armed with a bottle containing an unknown substance.

Police and paramedics rushed to the Ofsted-rated “outstanding” school academy school after the liquid was sprayed in their faces, with officers arresting three male pupils, aged 12, 13, and 15, on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.

They were today being questioned by detectives at an East London police station.

Principal Janis Davies said today the three boys involved would be expelled.

She said: “At lunchtime three boys were involved in stupid behaviour, spraying harmful fluid - and we are not sure what that fluid is at the moment.

“Staff were on the scene straight away. Three pupils were taken to hospital but were all back home later yesterday. There was no long-term effects.

“The boys are not allowed in school until a full investigation has taken place, and with the facts we have at the moment, they will not be returning to this school.”

A mother whose daughter is friends with the most badly-injured girl told the Standard the incident occurred during breaktime.

She said: “The girls were playing a game where you toss a pound in the air and whoever grabs it first keeps it. A boy sprayed their faces to distract them.

“Apparently it was thrown in their face and eyes.

“Everyone is just shocked by what happened.”

Another parent said: "They taped off the school and told the kids to go home. There were several police cars and ambulances that came to deal with it.

“What the hell is this world coming to?”

A 21-year-old former pupil, whose little sister attends the school, said: “There were six injured with three of them needing medical attention. One girl was hurt more.

“She was sent to the medical services inside the school and waited with her face wrapped in bandages until the police and ambulance arrived.”

A source at the school said the incident had caused “chaos”.

The source added: “We’ve been spending all day trying to reassure parents about everything, it’s just been crazy.”

A Met Police spokesman confirmed they had launched an investigation after “three teenagers were injured at an east London school”.

He said officers were called following a “disturbance involving youths where a noxious substance had been used” just after 2pm yesterday.

“Three males, aged 12, 13 and 15, were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm. They were taken to an east London police station where they remain in custody.

“All involved were pupils at the school. Enquiries into the circumstances continue.”

Sydney Russell School was granted academy status in 2015 and has almost 2,000 pupils aged 11 to 18.

A spokesman for Barking & Dagenham Council said: “The safety of our pupils is always our top priority. This is a one-off isolated incident within the school and staff were on the scene immediately.

“We are working with the school, the police and parents to get to the bottom of this. A full investigation is under way and we are unable to comment further at this stage.”

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