Police visited home of ‘petrified’ girl, 12, to check she was self-isolating - reports

15 July 2021, 23:36 | Updated: 20 July 2021, 23:45

Police reportedly visited the home of a 12-year-old girl to check she was self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.

Kathryn Crook told Manchester Evening News that police came to her house twice to check her daughter Charlotte was self-isolating, leaving her child “petrified” and “thinking the police were going to arrest her”.

Ms Crook said the first time officers from Greater Manchester Police arrived at her home in Middleton, they asked if Charlotte had been self-isolating but refused to say why they wanted to speak to her.

"My daughter by this time was stood behind me crouching thinking she had done something wrong and was petrified,” said Ms Crook, who then said that a police officer shouted through to Charlotte to ask if she had been isolating.

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Ms Crook said the police came round again the following day, this time in a riot van.

Although Ms Crook said the officer was politer this time around, she said it was still "terribly upsetting" for Charlotte and she had "another meltdown again thinking the police were going to arrest her".

Ms Crook has since written to her MP Chris Clarkson to express her concern about the incident, and is demanding an apology from the police as well as Rochdale public health chiefs for what she described to Manchester Evening News as “overkill”.

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A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: "The officers who attended the address to check that the self-isolation regulation was being adhered to, did so in good faith and to engage directly with the person involved.

"Once it was established that they were isolating correctly and the relevant welfare checks were addressed the officers left and have not had reason to return.

"The van used was not a 'riot van', this type of vehicle is commonly used by district officers in order for them to respond to incidents and engage with the public."

They added: "In the instance of children who are required to self-isolate checks will be made with their parents or legal guardian.

"When passed the details of the people who are self-isolating the ages are not included so one of the first things that needs to be established is how old the person is."

A Council spokesperson said: “Where the national track and trace team is not able to contact someone to confirm isolation, the details are passed to councils to be dealt with locally and the correct process was followed in this instance.

"It is important that people carry out their legal duty to isolate so that other people are protected from the virus.

"Letters and visits are supportive and speaking to people who are isolating means we can establish if they need any support, like food shopping.

"If people engage with track and trace from the start support can be put in place early, if needed, and further contact does not need to happen.

"We have spoken directly with the family and offered our support to them.”