Minor ethical dilemma re Ds's friend

[clasp]

Have changed the names in the following lengthy anecdote, as using XYZ got confusing.
DS (13) came home and said "Guess what happened to Tim today?" They were leaving school but were still in the grounds, and Tim threw a snowball at a boy in the next year up (call him John). Whereupon John's friend Able rushed at DS's friend TIm, whacked him on the face making his nose bleed, then jumped on his back until he fell on the ground, then jumped on him.
Dilemma is that I know Able is a bully as he has previously bullied my own DS. It stopped when I contacted both the school and his parents, although he still feels free to call him names eg. on this occasion 'you specky cunt'!
But apparently Tim who was the one beaten up on this occasion just told his mum he had had a nose bleed, not that Able had jumped him.
Should I email/text/phone Tim's mum to tell her what happened? I don't know her very well. If she was a friend I feel I definitely would.
Or should I leave it to them to sort out?
I hate to see Able get away with it but that is maybe my own issues.
Other argument in favour is the boys should see justice being done. Don't know if the school has done anything to Able. I know the HT knows, but could be waiting to see if the mum complains.

[psychomum5]

I would leave it if it were me TBH.

I know it isn;t nice, but it was 'only' a nose bleed, not a major head trauma that requires hospital and so could be dangerous.

that said, if the mum approaches you, tell her then. maybe tim will tell her anyway.......or, maybe as he threw the snowball he figures it fair game (seems a bit of a OTT reaction, and if as you say he is a bully, then thats why).

tis hard.......I get why your dilemma, but really, I would stay back for now unless you need to say something )something more happens for instance).

good luck, I hate bullying.

[differentnameforthis]

I'd like to know if my child was beaten up! 'Only' nosebleed or not!

[BelleDameSansMerci]

This may be my issues but I hate bullying (I never was but it makes my blood boil for some reason). I would absolutely tell the mother and I think I'd even report it to the school. If not, then the bully has got away with the behaviour and learns that he is free to continue and the violence may escalate. How is giving someone a nosebleed an appropriate reaction to one's friend being hit with a snowball?

Phew, and breathe...

[BooHooo]

I would absolutely tell the Mother - a nosebleed can be v serious but that's not even the point, it's violent bullying, she should know.

Poor wee thing not to tell her he must be so upset.

[mumeeee]

I'm another one who would tell the Mother

[fortyplus]

Tell the school

[woodyandbuzz]

This boy jumped on another boy whilst he was on the ground. Like Riven says, that could have caused a very serious injury. For this reason, I'd go to the headteacher yourself so that the HT has to do something (you could inform the HT that Tim's mum doesn't know because Tim is afraid to tell her and you don't know her). I would be wary of getting in between Tim and his mother because a) you don't know the mother and b) Tim is not telling her about the incident for some reason. Your son was present at the incident, next time Able could be jumping on him, particularly given the name calling.

[PositiveAttitude]

As a mum I would want to know if anything had happened to my DC. If you dont want to go to the mum, then go to the school, as said by others.

You still have snow????

[mumonthenet]

...whacked him on the face making his face bleed, jumped on his back until he fell to the ground, then jumped on him... This is not "issues" clasp - this is wanton unprovoked violence.

this is me in your shoes:

I would report it to the HT. Ok, we know the HT knows but I would still make a formal complaint -after all I have a pupil at that school and I don't want my kid to think that is normal behaviour. I expect the HT to discipline his pupils.

I would then try to have a casual chat with Tim, tell him I've reported it to the school as I would report any violence I witness or my children witness. I would then try to persuade him to either tell his mum or allow me to tell his mum - on the basis that Able is a known bully and needs to be stopped.

(Perhaps it would be more acceptable to Tim and to his mum coming from you who already have experience of Able)

[clasp]

Well thanks y'all. That's fairly unanimous. I have been leaning to psychomum's reaction because in the past I have been quite complainy, esp when Able and AN Other were bullying my DS. For the past year I have deliberately kept out of things. HT more or less told me to butt out!!! (But I was in overdrive because the school weren't telling me what they were doing about it - just expecting me to trust them to do it). And this time it's not even my child.
I suggested my DS should go to the HT with a couple of pals. He won't tho, not wanting to raise head above the parapet.
Ah - bullying box. Maybe he can put a note in there.
PositiveAttitude: bit of nice fluffy snow last week. Didn't last.
All: thanks so much for your help and thoughts.