Mother pleads for autistic son`s release

"RUTH Barlow's campaign for her 16-year-old son Sam is backed by her MSP Tavish Scott, former Labour justice minister Hugh Henry, three mental health charities and more than 1800 people in Shetland."

"THE mother of an autistic teenager jailed for three years after aiming an air rifle at police has broken her silence to plead for his release."

"Ruth Barlow wants her 16-year-old son Sam freed from a young offenders’ institute more than 400 miles from the family’s home on Shetland while his appeal against sentence goes through court."

"His family believe first offender Sam, who has a history of mental health problems, brandished the air rifle while trying to get himself shot by police."

"He had previously been tormented by bullies who are still being investigated by police and was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome after the incident on September 23 in which no one was injured."

"Community nurse Ruth asked for judges to pay more attention to a detailed psychological report which highlighted her son’s extreme vulnerability."

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/sam-barlow-autistic-mum-interview-5208172

Credit should go to the police officers at the time of the incident for their measured response.

However, the system as a whole has proved itself inadequate to deal with a vulnerable young person`s crisis.

So much for the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act and multi-agency partnerships !