Date published: 2023-06-12 | Category: Children's Services
Our thoughts today are with the family and friends of 16-year-old Mikey Roynon, from Kingswood, who was fatally stabbed in an incident in Bath on Saturday night. Specialist police family liaison officers are working with Mikey’s family and a murder investigation, being led by the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT), is well under way with arrests made.
It goes without saying that this is a deeply concerning incident and there are undoubtedly worries which you as parents, schools and wider communities will have following this tragedy.
We are jointly writing to schools and parents to explain some of the immediate actions that are being undertaken and at the end of this letter we have provided a list of useful contacts should your child need support if they were witnesses or have been traumatised by this tragedy and need to talk this through.
Firstly, we urge anybody who witnessed anything, or who has any other information which could help the police investigation, to call 101 and give the call handler the reference number 5223136640. You can submit information via the Major Incident Public Portal via this website link: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/5223C92-PO1
Or you can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100 per cent anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their Anonymous Online Form. No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded, and you will not go to court or have to speak to police when contacting Crimestoppers.
As you may already be aware all operational updates are being issued proactively by Avon and Somerset Police on the newsroom section of their website and on their main social media channels. We do need to remind you there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice the ongoing investigation. In addition, please remember that juvenile defendants are automatically legally entitled to anonymity and it is an offence to publicly name or identify them while reporting restrictions are in place.
Since Saturday, officers with the Neighbourhood Policing team have been carrying out reassurance patrols in and around Weston. Youth workers from Youth Connect South West and Project 28 have teams on the ground in Weston, as well as Bath city centre, providing support and listening to young people.
Children’s Services from Bath & North East Somerset as well as neighbouring authorities, youth workers and educational psychologists are also working with local schools and the police to provide support to children and young people affected by this incident
If your child is in need of immediate support, they can also use the following services:
24/7 Support if you need to talk (or text, or online chat): SHOUT: text the word 'SHOUT' to 85258
Samaritans: call 116 123
SAMM: call 01214722912 or Text 07342 888570
Kooth: https://www.kooth.com/
Childline: call 0800 11 11 (under 19)
Daytime Support: Cruse Bereavement: bath@cruse.org.uk or somerset@cruse.org.uk or https://www.cruse.org.uk/
Hope again: www.hopeagain.org.uk.
Off The Record have a local in person listening service available - https://www.offtherecord-banes.co.uk
18+ Support Breakthrough: supporting survivors of trauma services@traumabreakthrough.org https://www.traumabreakthrough.org/getting-help/
Finally, we want to reassure you that we understand the public’s concerns about knife crime, and we’re working together as partners and alongside our communities, to tackle the root causes of this issue. We want to educate and divert young people away from crime and keep them safe, as we recognise many of them are vulnerable and in need of support, but it’s also important the police continue to take a strong approach to enforcement, wherever necessary and appropriate.
Yours,
Chief Inspector Ronald Lungu, of the Bath Neighbourhood Policing team
Mandy Bishop – Chief Operating Officer Bath & North East Somerset Council