Teen son of England football ace forced EIGHT different schools to go into lockdown with sick social media ‘killer clown’ threats
THE teenage son of an England football star has been suspended from his private school for making “killer clown” threats to other kids.
The lad was ringleader in a sick social media stunt that caused eight schools to be put in lockdown. Police were called in.
Hostile messages posted on social media along with meancing pictures claimed the creepy clowns would be congregating outside school gates.
The incident sparked a police alert after the clown group posted an online list of schools they intended to target.
The Premier League star’s teenage son confessed to being the ringleader of the group making the threats after the headmaster at his public school arranged an assembly to discuss the warnings.
The boy has been suspended but could be permanently excluded.
A source said: “He was suspended when it all came out but it looks like he may end up getting expelled as it’s not the first time he’s been in trouble.
“It seems a bit harsh to get rid of a kid for clowning around and he wasn’t the only one doing it.
“But it’s an expensive private school and they don’t mess about.”
The craze for dressing up as scary-looking clowns and making threats started in America — but has now spread to the UK.
Police forces here have warned anyone dressing up as a clown to scare people could be arrested or fined for harassment.
Merseyside Police’s Chief Superintendent Peter Costello said: “We are aware of incidents in the United States involving people dressing up as clowns and approaching or chasing other members of the public.
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“It appears that social media is being used to circulate stories about similar incidents taking place in some areas of the UK.
“Behaviour of this type will not be treated as a joke or prank.
“Doing this to a stranger may cause alarm or distress and could constitute a criminal offence such as harassment.
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“We will not tolerate anti-social or criminal behaviour directed at members of our communities.”
The Sun told yesterday of growing reports of clown episodes.
On Thursday, a man reported seeing a clown driving a Ford Transit through Liverpool city centre.
And on the same day in Manchester, officers received reports of a motorist wearing a clown mask and scaring other drivers and pedestrians.
MACHETE DUO TERROR
By SARAH RIDLEY
DRIVER Kurtis Mulvaney yesterday told how he was approached by two machete-wielding teenagers disguised in clown masks and boiler suits.
Kurtis said the pair came up to his car in MANCHESTER, stuck their heads through the window and stared menacingly at him without saying a word.
When he ignored them they wandered off — then clambered on a woman driver’s car bonnet, leaving her children in tears.
Kurtis, 29, said of the clown craze: “It’s getting out of hand.”
In BRACKNELL, Berks, a clown appeared at the window of a restaurant — terrifying Leah Woodcock and friends as they were having a meal.
She managed to film the clown before he fled. Alarmed Paul Quinn also filmed a creepy clown hanging around outside the window of his family’s home in CHORLEY, Lancs for 15 mins.
The clown ran off when Paul’s mum Margaret went out and told him to go away.
There were also two killer clown incidents in the WALSALL area. In one, Shaniece Price nearly crashed her car when a clown ran toward it.
Shaniece, who managed to video the prankster, said: “It was horrible. I was shaking because I’ve got a clown phobia.”
In the second incident a woman told how a clown jumped out as she was walking with her nephew, 18 months, and niece, four, and threatened to “skin them alive.”
She said: “The kids are hysterical. It’s not funny in the slightest. Someone is going to get hurt.”