KEY POINTS:
School students could face serious criminal charges if they send on text message invitations to group "rumbles" that end in assaults or murder, police have warned.
Big after-school gatherings organised by text are increasing in frequency in Auckland, prompting the aggressive warning by police to parents through school newsletters.
It comes a month after two teenage girls were killed when a car sped through a crowd of partygoers at an out-of-control party in Christchurch. Police say more than half of those attending had gatecrashed after receiving text messages.
The message went out to schools in the Counties Manukau policing area last week, and was published in at least two school newsletters.
Senior Sergeant Mike Fulcher, through the newsletters, warned of an increase in the numbers of students meeting up through "text bombing", or group texting.
A text advising friends of a fight or "rumble" somewhere could be construed as incitement.
He said if the texts resulted in criminal acts - including assault and murder - then anyone who sent on the text message could be charged under the Crimes Act.
"The penalty for inciting someone is the same as for the offence that is committed... assault, wounding with intent."
He asked principals to tell students that deleting texts did not destroy them. Phone companies were required to hold SMS information for up to three weeks and police were able to access that information with a search warrant.
Peter Gall, president of the Secondary Principals' Association and principal of Papatoetoe College, said text messaging was a "common and very important" means of communication for youngsters.
"Unfortunately it's used for all sorts of activities - good and bad."
Inspector Greg Gilpin, of Wellington police, acknowledged group texting could cause problems, and youth aid officers regularly spoke to students about its dangers.
"We haven't had specific problems but we do get a lot of kids gatecrashing parties. And we've certainly given them the message..."
In one of the worst incidences of text messaging gone bad, a Sydney man was charged with sending SMS messages to incite violence after thousands of people rioted in the city's suburb of Cronulla in December 2005.
