Headteacher 'felt physically sick' after hoaxer threatened to shoot and stab pupils

Children were left "crying and shaking" as their schools were placed into lockdown amid a series of terrifying threats. Hoax caller Darren Rigby, 21, sent sinister emails to three Merseyside all-girls schools in January this year, claiming: Im on my way to the school with a revolver and a machete and Im going to shoot and stab all your girls."

In one email he threatened to "kill and injure as many girls as he possibly could", and in another he said: If anyone attempts to stop me they will be shot and I will release a blood agent into the school which will poison you.

Rigby, of Worthington Close, Runcorn appeared at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, June 1. He was jailed for a total of 28 months after admitting three counts of sending communications threatening death or serious harm, possession of an offensive weapon, namely a police baton, and possession of cannabis.

The first incident took place at Holly Lodge School in West Derby on January 19 this year. At 1.30pm, Rigby sent an email in which he claimed to be hiding inside the school with a crossbow and a sword.

He said he was going to "kill and injure as many girls as he possibly could", adding: "Anyone who tries to stop me will be shot."

Police were called and the school was placed in lockdown until 3.20pm, when it became clear the email was a hoax. In a statement, head teacher Andrew Keen said: "I have not had to deal with a threat of this nature during my 20 years at Holly Lodge.

"The staff had to react quickly to a lockdown without knowing the reason why. They had to talk with the students in their care to keep them safe all while wondering what was happening and what would happen next.

"Students see schools as a safe place to come to be themselves and be safe. For them to be told we were locked for their safety in school was a real shock. All reacted with resilience, care for others and common sense. However this was an upsetting experience for many students and attendance dropped by 5% for the rest of the week. Several parents were reluctant to send their daughters into school because of their anxiety."

He added: "Darren Rigby's actions took him little time and effort to carry out., but cause a lot of stress and anxiety in the three schools affected. If he set out to cause harm and disruption to the youngest members of society and the people who car for the, then he very much succeeded."

The second incident occurred at Greenbank High School in Southport. Shortly before 1pm on January 23, Rigby emailed: Im on my way to the school with a revolver and a machete and Im going to shoot and stab all your girls."

He added: If anyone attempts to stop me they will be shot and I will release a blood agent into the school which will poison you.

Headteacher Davina Aspinall said she felt "physically sick" after reading the email, which was received during the school's lunch hour. Staff scrambled to gather up some 1,000 students and lead them inside as the school was placed in "shelter" mode.

Ms Aspinall said: "Children were crying, shaking, asking if they were going to be harmed, asking if the threat was real. At this point we had little information that we could provide the children."

Text messages were sent to parents, resulting in a flood of parents rushing to the school to collect their children, which Ms Aspinall said was "understandable but difficult to manage".

The final threat was made to Belvedere Academy in Toxteth on January 26. At 8.30am, headteacher Julie Taylor was made aware that a threatening email had been sent overnight to the schools general email address.

It said: I have managed to gain access to the school and Im now hiding somewhere in the school with a crossbow and a sword. When your girls come into school I will be jumping out. Im going to kill every girl and woman staff member I come across."

The academy was placed in lockdown at the beginning of the school day. Students, some of whom were supposed to be taking mock exams, arrived to find the front gates locked, and were directed to the nearby Belvedere Preparatory School.

Headteacher Julie Taylor said: "There have been numerous conversations between pupils around the lockdown. The more vulnerable pupils and pupils with special educational needs have found it difficult to regulate and have had to relearn that school is a safe place. For a number of them, this has taken significant time.

"25% of our pupils have special needs. There are 47 pupils that require specialist support and 75 pupils who have neurodiverse diagnoses. Experiencing lockdown for these children was very upsetting."

Rebecca Smith, defending Rigby, said: "At the time the offences were committed, his emotional dysregulation and his feelings of turmoil and confrontation with himself were heightened because of his cannabis use and extreme alcohol consumption.

"That in no way excuses his behaviour, but provides some background as to why a young man acts in a manner that is frightening, disturbing and upsetting."

Recorder Eric Lamb said Rigby had sent the messages "at a time of turmoil in his life when he was affected by cannabis and drink".

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