Scot-free on drugs
Mary Papadakis
June 17, 2007 12:00am
A SCOTCH College student at the centre of a drugs scandal will not be charged by police.
The year 12 student was released with a caution by police after being interviewed by Boroondara officers on Thursday night.
The teenager lashed out when approached by the Sunday Herald Sun for comment after leaving the police station, verbally and physically threatening a journalist and photographer, who was chased along Harp Rd in Kew.
A male with the teenager, believed to be his father, was unable to restrain him and police had to intervene.
The teenager's family refused to comment when contacted several times by the Sunday Herald Sun this week.
Scotch College has also refused to comment on the incident involving the sale of drugs to a year 9 student at the elite Hawthorn school about three weeks ago.
Boroondara Criminal Investigation Unit's Det Sen-Sgt Daryl Cullen this week said the teenager had been released with a caution.
Det Sen-Sgt Cullen said that, while drugs offences were of a serious nature, young people made mistakes and police had options including diversionary programs and cautions available to them to use when appropriate.
"We won't be pursuing this any further," he said.
"In this case, this (a caution) is the most appropriate manner of dealing with it.
"The main concern is for the welfare of the victim and offender and to ensure the problem is eradicated in all schools."
Det Sen-Sgt Cullen said the teenager had been truthful and co-operative with police.
He said while it had been widely reported that ecstasy was the drug involved in the scandal, police were not sure of the type of drug as it had been consumed, destroying any evidence.
Private schools are not legally obliged to report drug-related incidents to police, unlike government schools.
But Det Sen-Sgt Cullen said it was in the best interests of private schools to have police deal with any crime and set a good example for students.