Inverness rector says 'people could have been killed' after six pupils excluded for setting 'trap'
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The rector of Inverness Royal Academy has said 'people could have been killed' after an incident at the school.
Nigel Engstrand issued all pupils at the secondary school with a stern warning today after a group of pupils sprayed washing up liquid on stairs and then deliberately set off the fire alarm yesterday.
He plans to speak to police tomorrow about the situation at the school, which has more than 1350.
In a message to pupils, seen by The Inverness Courier, Mr Engstrand wrote: "Basically, they had set up a trap that they knew would result in people falling on the stairs.
"I know that you will know how dangerous this was: hundreds of people could have fallen and the injuries they would have suffered could have been very serious; someone, in fact, could have been killed."
He has excluded six pupils as a result of the events, one of which may become a permanent exclusion.
He continued: "If other people hadn't discovered the state of the stairs, we could have ended up with people lying in hospital this morning.
"I trust that if you are aware of things like this that you will take responsibility for reporting it.
"It's not about being a 'snitch' or a 'grass'; it's about doing the right thing. And remember that we never reveal who has told us something.
"Thank you to those of you who did the right thing."
In March last year Mr Engstrand told parents/carers it was "‘resetting’ existing behaviour policy to improve current standards in school" after antisocial behaviour in school toilets and other issues.
