Bobbies at sex pervert protest; CAMPAIGN: Families demonstrating at school surprised by police presence.

Byline: By Jasbir Authi

PARENTS were baffled when police turned up as they staged a peaceful protest outside a school at a centre of a double sex controversy.

Dozens of parents handed in a petition signed by 200 people calling for the resignation of the head of Ladypool Primary School, in Sparkbrook, during a governors meeting on Tuesday evening.

Their demands came after the Birmingham Mail revealed that a pervert teaching assistant had been jailed last week for grooming a girl at the school.

Days later, the school was rocked again when they heard that parish priest Father John HervA, who is the head of the board of governors, had been arrested on suspicion of raping a child.

According to protesters, the police turned up as the group decided to brave the cold weather and hear the outcome of the meeting.

Father-of-three Mohammed Shakeel said: "I counted nine police officers, two police women and seven men.

"I approached a police woman and asked if everything was OK. She said that they had a complaint abut windows being broken. I said we are here as a peaceful protest and not here to cause trouble."

Mr Shakeel, aged 39, said two officers stayed with the parents until the school informed them that a letter containing their decision would be given out on Friday.

West Midlands Police confirmed they had gone to the school. The spokesman said: "There were about 30 people there in a peaceful protest. The police monitored the situation for a while but there were no problems."

CAPTION(S):

PEACEFUL... protesters outside Ladypool primary. Top, the Mail on Tuesday. Picture: Iain Findlay