A headteacher says she was left “physically sick” after a hoax caller threatened to shoot and stab pupils, forcing three schools into an emergency lockdown.
Terrified students were left “crying and shaking” after 21‑year‑old Darren Rigby sent chilling emails to the Merseyside all‑girls schools during the campaign of terror which took place in January this year, the Echo reports.
In the sinister messages, Rigby warned he was “on my way to the school with a revolver and a machete and I’m going to shoot and stab all your girls.”
In another twisted email, Rigby threatened to “kill and injure as many girls as he possibly could”, while, in another, he said: “If anyone attempts to stop me they will be shot, and I will release a blood agent into the school which will poison you.”
View 3 ImagesGreenbank High School was also targeted
On Monday (June 1), Rigby, of Worthington Close, Runcorn, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court, where he was jailed for 28 months after admitting three counts of sending communications threatening death or serious harm, possession of an offensive weapon, namely a police baton, and possession of cannabis.
The first of three schools featured in the horror plan was Holly Lodge School, in West Derby. At roughly 1.30pm on January 19, Rigby contacted the school via email claiming to be hidden inside the school, armed with a crossbow and a sword.
He terrorised staff claiming he was going to “kill and injure as many girls as he possibly could”, adding: “Anyone who tries to stop me will be shot.”
Officers were scrambled to the school, which was forced into lockdown until 3.20pm, at which point it became apparent the email was a hoax.
“I have not had to deal with a threat of this nature during my 20 years at Holly Lodge,” said head teacher Andrew Keen. “The staff had to react quickly to a lockdown without knowing the reason why.
“They had to talk with the students in their care to keep them safe all while wondering what was happening and what would happen next. Students see schools as a safe place to come to be themselves and be safe.
“For them to be told we were locked for their safety in school was a real shock. All reacted with resilience, care for others and common sense. However, this was an upsetting experience for many students and attendance dropped by 5% for the rest of the week. Several parents were reluctant to send their daughters into school because of their anxiety.”
View 3 ImagesHolly Lodge Girl’s College was forced into lockdown(Image: Liverpool Echo)
He continued: “Darren Rigby’s actions took him little time and effort to carry out., but cause a lot of stress and anxiety in the three schools affected. If he set out to cause harm and disruption to the youngest members of society and the people who car for the, then he very much succeeded.”
But, Rigby wasn’t done yet; he would strike again at Greenbank High School in Southport, four days later. Just before 1pm, on January 23, Rigby emailed: “I’m on my way to the school with a revolver and a machete and I’m going to shoot and stab all your girls.
“If anyone attempts to stop me they will be shot and I will release a blood agent into the school which will poison you.”
Headteacher Davina Aspinall was on her lunch break when she received the message, describing how she felt “physically sick” after reading it. Staff scrambled to gather up some 1,000 students and lead them inside as the school was placed in “shelter” mode.
“Children were crying, shaking, asking if they were going to be harmed, asking if the threat was real,” Ms Aspinall said. “At this point we had little information that we could provide the children.”
Parents flooded the school site after receiving text messages alerting them to the situation, which Ms Aspinall said was “understandable but difficult to manage”.
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Finally, Rigby’s third victim was Belvedere Academy in Toxteth, on January 26. At 8.30am, headteacher Julie Taylor was made aware that a threatening email had been sent overnight to the school’s general email address.
“I have managed to gain access to the school and I’m now hiding somewhere in the school with a crossbow and a sword. When your girls come into school I will be jumping out,” the threat claimed, adding, “I’m going to kill every girl and woman staff member I come across.”
Another lockdown followed shortly after students had arrived, some of whom were supposed to be taking mock exams.
Headteacher Julie Taylor said: “There have been numerous conversations between pupils around the lockdown. The more vulnerable pupils and pupils with special educational needs have found it difficult to regulate and have had to relearn that school is a safe place. For a number of them, this has taken significant time.
“25% of our pupils have special needs. There are 47 pupils that require specialist support and 75 pupils who have neurodiverse diagnoses. Experiencing lockdown for these children was very upsetting.”
Rebecca Smith, defending Rigby, said: “At the time the offences were committed, his emotional dysregulation and his feelings of turmoil and confrontation with himself were heightened because of his cannabis use and extreme alcohol consumption.
“That in no way excuses his behaviour, but provides some background as to why a young man acts in a manner that is frightening, disturbing and upsetting.”
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Recorder Eric Lamb said Rigby had sent the messages “at a time of turmoil in his life when he was affected by cannabis and drink”.