17 pupils held for supplying LSD at school

PETER VICTOR

Seventeen teenagers were arrested at a Worcestershire secondary school and three pupils have already been expelled after they were bailed, on suspicion of supplying LSD. Pupils aged 14 and 15 at King Charles I High School, Kidderminster, were caught taking the hallucinatory tablets in lessons.

The school has suspended seven more pupils while investigations into the alleged drugs ring continue. Twelve pupils, aged 14 or 15, have been formally cautioned by police for possessing the Class A drug.

Five others are on police bail. The five, all boys, include an unemployed 16-year-old from Kidderminster who is not a pupil at the school. He has been bailed in connection with supplying the drug.

The police swoop was prompted by teachers who were worried by the unusual behaviour of pupils in lessons, which the teachers suspected was drug related.

Inspector Andy Mackillop, of West Mercia Police, said: "The pupils weren't actually caught taking the drug. Basically there had been behavioural problems at the end of last term before Christmas and a number of pupils were excluded.

"The local beat officer began investigating the circumstances surrounding this and when the new term began, the problems re-appeared. Following investigations, it was found that some of the pupils were taking LSD tablets in school. That was attributed to the behavioural problems that had been experienced.

"There were also a group of male pupils who had been involved in scuffles with those believed to be supplying the drug to girls in their class. It seems they were trying to protect them.

"Of those 12 youngsters cautioned the majority were girls, and they had one or two LSD tablets in their possession. Those who have been bailed will answer to that next week when a decision on whether to prosecute them will be made."

Mr Mackillop said the school had not had a drugs problem before. "There has never been anything to do with LSD," he said. "This came totally out of the blue.

"The school got the police involved at a very early stage and all the pupils' parents have been very supportive. The school has sent a clear message that they will not tolerate drugs of any description."

A spokesman for the school said: "Pupils guilty of supplying drugs will be expelled, and those who have bought and taken drugs will be excluded, until a decision has been made about their future."