Angus Council has confirmed it is mounting follow-up action after the re-emergence of an online video apparently showing bullying at a local secondary.
The clip, which was posted on Facebook earlier this week, shows a young male whipping a leather belt in the direction of a fellow pupil, was filmed some time ago.
In the clip a boy is heard boasting that his friend was “hard” and he shouts swear words at the pupil while telling him to get down on his knees and “pick up” stationery from the floor.
The footage was quickly taken down from the site, but not before sparking outrage, with a number of people condemning the apparent bullying.
The matter has been reported to Police Scotland, which confirmed it is investigating.
A council spokesman said: “Prompt and appropriate action was taken at the time this incident happened more than a year ago.
“We were aware of the reappearance of certain coverage on social media this week and are again taking steps to address the situation with those involved.”
The spokesman added: “People should be reassured that we treat all reports of bullying with the utmost seriousness and will not tolerate such behaviour.
“Angus Council has a zero-tolerance policy towards all bullying behaviour in its schools and provides clear guidance and advice to schools on dealing with bullying incidents.
“Bullying is bullying whether physical, verbal, by social media and so-called cyber bullying, or a combination of these means, it has no place within our school community or in wider society. We urge people not to suffer in silence, but to report any incidents and concerns.
“Anyone who witnesses bullying should also report it immediately.”