Bullied Mia's dad says school told pupils to delete their messages

THE father of a teenage girl who killed herself after being bullied by classmates, claims her school then told pupils to delete their messages to her.

- Jan Disley

Mia Janin, 14, was found dead at her home in March 2021 after being tormented by boys at her school - both in person and online.

But in the midst of the police investigation the Jewish Free School is accused of holding an assembly in which the boys were effectively asked to destroy evidence.

Mia's father Mariano said he had serious concerns about the way JFS, based in Kenton, North West London, handled the probe into the bullying of his daughter after her death.

He told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme: "We found a screenshot saying that she was prepared to be badly bullied, naming the kids that were bullying her.

"They organised in the school an assembly and asked the kids to delete the messages.

"My common sense says if you have a police investigation, you should notify the police maybe this group of kids, they have information on their phone."

At the inquest into Mia's death the school denied those claims. Mr Janin spoke out as it emerged Mia's phone and SIM card, which had been lost, have now been found and the Metropolitan Police is arranging to return them to the family.