Father who sent primary school into lockdown faces prison

A former children's nursery boss could face prison for aggravated trespass after he sent a village primary school into lockdown when he attempted to collect his two children.

Trainee firefighter Daley Sweeney, who is also a registered childminder, had been engaged in a feud with his ex-wife over access visits for their two young boys when the incident occurred in November 2023.

Jumping the gate of Gawsworth primary school near Macclesfield, the 38-year-old made his way to the school reception only to find it locked.

Seeing this, the school's deputy headteacher set off the intruder alarm, resulting in a chaotic cutting short of pupil's lunchtime and the arrival of local police to the scene.

Inquiries in the wake of the incident have since revealed that social services had informed the school not to allow Sweeney to collect his children from school.

However, without any legal order preventing him from doing so, Sweeney claims that he had every right to collect his two sons and insists he had no intention of plunging the school into a lockdown.

Accommodating 201 pupils, the Cheshire primary school instructed all children to remain in their classrooms whilst the intruder alarm was being dealt with.

Parents of numerous pupils have since complained that the ordeal has left their children suffering from anxiety and nightmares. 

Appearing before Crewe Magistrates' Court, Sweeney was found guilty of an offence of obstructing or disrupting a person engaged in a lawful activity.

The 38-year-old denied the charges which could see him handed up to three months in prison when he is sentenced next month.

At the hearing, Miss Elizabeth Browne, prosecuting, told the court that despite calling ahead to tell the school he would be collecting his children and being told he was not allowed, that Sweeney showed up anyway and caused the 'scary and intimidating' lockdown.

'The defendant says he did not intend to cause disruption. However, it is clear he knew his actions would cause disruption as he was told he could not collect the children and could not expect any other outcome', she added.

The school's deputy head, Jemma Smith, told the court how after Sweeney had informed the school he would be arriving shortly, that they were forced to shut the car park and lock all of the school's doors.

Describing Sweeney's manner as 'agitated and upset', Smith stated that she pulled the lockdown alarm after her pleads with Sweeney to leave the property were ignored and he threatened to jump the playground gate.

'We tried to keep things calm for the children. We did not want to cause alarm but their safety was a priority. It was upsetting and stressful. The frustrating thing was that it was all unnecessary. If Mr Sweeney had just listened, we were only following instructions given by social services... 

'I felt that he was agitated enough to follow through with his threat because he did not seem to be behaving particularly rationally or reasonably at the time', Smith added.

Gawsworth Primary headmaster Lisa Wainright also made a statement before the court, stating that due to a 'relationship breakdown and the mother decided she no longer wanted to facilitate access visits to the children'.

Wainright added that the alarm had been sounded due to safeguarding concerns and that she has received multiple complaints from other parents of children attending the school. 

Ahead of his arrival at the school, Sweeny had made a call to 101 which was played for the court.

In it, he could be heard saying 'If they do not give them back they have kidnaped my children'.

Sweeney then told the court that in his eyes he was 'completely within his rights to pick the kids up'.

When asked what his intention was, he said: 'I was doing what every parent does. I just wanted to see my children. I have got no criminal record. I have not done anything wrong in the world. 

'I ran a nursery. I had no intention of disrupting the children at all. Children go out of school early all the time. It is perfectly reasonable. I was embarrassed for myself and embarrassed for the children'.

At the hearing, Sweeney's defence lawyer, Trevor Feehily, said that the former childminder has been forced to give up that line of work as a result of the proceedings against him.

In convicting Sweeney JP Christina Basnett said: 'You had been told that you could not collect your children from the school yet you still went there. You had the intention of doing something that would have had the effect of intimidating or disrupting the education at the school.

'The school found it necessary to follow their emergency protocol and lock the school down over their fear'.