West Lothian mum says '40 pupils' watched and filmed her daughter being attacked

Edinburgh Live

01-05-2025

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A furious West Lothian mum has called on her daughter's school to take action against bullies after her daughter was brutally attacked by a fellow pupil.
On Tuesday we reported how the 12-year-old was battered by another girl who landed blows to her head with her fist as other pupils stood and watched while filming on their phones.
The girl's mother, Jennifer Storrar, has now decided to speak out, claiming it is not the first time her daughter Skye has been targeted at her school - Whitburn Academy.
Jennifer, 38, says the appalling attack was filmed and shared on social media, leaving Skye petrified of going back to school for the rest of the week out of fear of being attacked again.
Jennifer says a 'gang of 40' pupils all gathered before the incident took place on the town's East Main Street at lunchtime before another pupil dragged Skye to the floor and dealt blows to her head with punches and kicks.
(Image: Supplied)
The Whitburn local also claims the area in which this took place, outwith school grounds, is a "warzone" at break time and said the only way to resolve the issue is refusing to let pupils leave without parental consent.
Since being made aware of the incident Jennifer says the school have been supportive, but says more awareness and education around the effects of bullying need to be put in place as it "no longer stops at the school gates."
Speaking to Edinburgh Live she said: "We've mentioned bullying to the school a number of times regarding my daughter. She was actually attacked at the start of school in August as well.
(Image: Supplied)
"I think it's actually disgusting. At the time they changed one bully's timetables and moved his class but there's been multiple instances I know of, not just involving my children.
"Where this took place is just a warzone for fighting and anti social behaviour during school break times. The school need to stop students from leaving at lunchtimes as anti social behaviour like this is rife."
Police are also carrying out inquiries after the assault was reported to them by Jennifer. A spokesperson for West Lothian Council also confirmed it is aware of an incident which was filmed and shared on social media.
It is understood those involved will be spoken to by school staff and action will be taken where necessary.
Jennifer added: "I'm not saying my daughter is an angel 24/7 - she's a typical teenager and has her moments. But no child should ever have to fear being assaulted. Violence is never acceptable under any circumstances.
"What I really want is for the girls to make peace and for the school to take stronger action. Children should remain on school grounds during lunchtime unless there's clear parental consent.
"I also believe there has to be more education around anti-bullying. When I was a child and experienced bullying, at least home was a safe space. But in 2025, bullying doesn't stop at the school gates — it follows children everywhere through smartphones and apps like Snapchat.
"My daughter's video was viewed over 40,000 times on Snapchat alone. Social media companies need to take greater responsibility and tighten controls to prevent this type of thing spreading."
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A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: 'We are aware that video footage of an incident that happened out with school grounds involving Whitburn Academy pupils is currently being shared on social media.
'While we have no control over what takes places outside the school, we will speak to the pupils involved in the incident and their parents/carers, and take any appropriate action.
'Whitburn Academy takes all allegations of bullying seriously, with staff working to provide a safe and supportive environment for all pupils. It is not appropriate to comment further on specific incidents.'
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'On Tuesday, 29 April, 2025, officers received a report of an assault on West Main Street, Whitburn. Enquiries are at an early stage.'