Dear Sirs,

I refer to you letter of 10 October regarding an allegation involving my daughter.

I have to say that I am disappointed that you chose to write to me in this way based on one side of a story. I have learned, through the years, that every such story has at least two versions, and I have taken that into account in the past 10 years, when each of my children has come home from your school with tales of being threatened, bullied, physically assaulted, or robbed of dinner money or other possessions.

Have I once, even once, come to the school complaining about any of this? No.

Why? Because, unlike some parents who no doubt beat a path to your door every time somebody even looks at their little darling, I am realistic enough to know that none of my children are angels, and that they do make mistakes, and errors of judgement. I am also realistic enough to know, as I say, that I am only hearing one version of events: not that they are lying, but that their version of the truth might be weighted differently from somebody elseÕs.

Now here I am, with a letter based, I think, on a misunderstanding rather than any real truth, suggesting my girl has performed a theft and requiring payment of compensation. There has been no attempt to properly investigate this matter, and no benefit of the doubt. That is simply not acceptable.

For the record, should you be interested, her version of events is that another girl gave her the bracelets to give back to this Rachel, and she then waited after school to give them back to her. When she did not appear, she gave the bracelets to a boy who normally walks home with this girl, to return to her, rather than delay until the next morning. So far as my daughter was concerned, that was the end of the matter.

She has named several witnesses to this version of events. She told her friend that she was going to the gate to hand the bracelets back. Several people saw and heard her there, asking where this Rachel was, and if anybody could pass the bracelets on to her. The boy concerned has apparently admitted that he had them, but says that he did not understand that he had to pass them on, so threw them away.

It is likely that on Friday, this other girl might not have known of this, if this lad had forgotten to tell her, and so has supposed that my daughter has performed some devious master theft.

She has faults, but she is not a thief. She has no need to be: she is unfortunately spoilt and can buy what she wants without stealing it from others. If she had wanted bracelets like those she could have bought them down at the shops for less than a fiver (we checked) not the £10 claimed.

We understand, separately from communication with the school, that this girl's mother now intends to involve the police, to investigate this alleged crime of theft. I would strongly encourage such an investigation, provided that it also included the more serious crimes of false accusation and attempted extortion, no less ridiculous claims in the circumstances. I would also seek to ensure that such an implausible investigation was as widely publicised as possible, through local media, so that the truth became clear and my family, at least, emerged with reputation intact.

The possibility that the reputation of others, including the school, might be damaged by such an investigation is no longer of any consequence to me.

I am not prepared to allow my children to be victims any longer. She has not stolen this girl's possessions, but has made a fair attempt to return them. She will not be paying for the lost items, under any circumstances. The cost is not significant, but on this occasion, the principle is.

I would also add that, if any retribution is exacted upon her by anybody, whether at school or not, then it will be me who will be informing the police and the press, without any prior consultation with the school, or any delay whatsoever.

I trust that this makes my position absolutely clear, and that this brings an end to this ridiculous matter.

Yours faithfully