Hi Dads,

I've recently been away on holiday visiting friends with my son (8 years old) and my partner. My son was playing with another child (3) with some small stones in the courtyard. There were no other children present.

Later in the evening one of the neighbours (she uses the same courtyard as a parking area) noticed that one of her car windows was smashed. She couldn't find any incriminating objects in the car (ball, stone etc).

I asked all the adults present that afternoon to ask if they'd heard or seen anything, but nobody had.

The fingers pointed towards my son; even I'm suspicious that he broke the window, as I thought his behaviour afterwards was a little strange. Though if he did break the window, I'm certain that it would have been an accident.

My partner thinks that he is maybe acting strange as he is on the defensive as he is the prime suspect.

We've spoken to him and told him that he won't get into trouble if he broke the window, but he denies that he did it. If we could confirm that it is him, we could sort out the insurance to help my friend's neighbour pay for her window.

I'm torn, I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt and the presumption of innocence, at the same time I suspect they he screwed up and broke the window. I want to do what is right by my son and the neighbour. If I accuse him of breaking the window and he didn't do it, I doubt this will have a positive effect upon my son. If I offer to pay for the neighbor's window without my son admitting to breaking the window, the neighbour and my friends will assume that my son broke the window.

I don't know what to do. Any suggestions?