Bungling police made me walk around naked

Steven Way has spoken of his humiliation after police smashed their way into his house and made him walk naked in front of officers.

02 May 2007 09:54

A disabled man was forced out of his bed and made to walk naked in front of officers during a bungled police raid at his home.

Steven Way has told of his humiliation after seven officers smashed their way through his front door in the mistaken belief that a drug dealer lived there. They demanded the sleeping Mr Way get out of bed and the 50-year-old, who suffers with a degenerative bone disease, had to walk naked in front of the officers, some of them female, to get his dressing gown.

He was then marched downstairs for a further half an hour while police officers trawled through his family's personal belongings.

Norfolk Constabulary has since apologised to Mr Way and admitted the raid should not have taken place.

Mr Way, of Mile Cross Road, said today: “I heard an almighty explosion and there were woman and men shouting. I have a hard time getting up and by the time I had sat up in bed there were five police officers in my bedroom shouting 'stay there, stay there'.

“I had no clothes on and I was ordered to get out of bed and put some clothes on. They said they were looking for drugs.

“We are not involved in drugs - I have two children here. I want a public apology from the police so that people round here do not suspect me of being a criminal. I have lived my life as a law abiding citizen and my family has never been in touch with the law at all.”

The drama began on Sunday night when two officers knocked on Mr Way's door to ask if a woman, a suspected drug dealer, lived there. He invited them in and explained she did not and the officers left happy with the information.

However, at 10am on Monday, the raid took place. Fortunately his wife Julie was out shopping and the couple's sons, Aarron, 16, and Christopher, 12, were both at school at the time.

Mr Way, who is now facing a two-week wait for his broken door to be replaced, said detectives have since admitted information given to the officers on Sunday night had not been passed on.

Mr Way, who has been unable to work for the past decade because of his condition, added: “They only needed to look us up to find we are law abiding citizens who keep ourselves to ourselves. The DI who rang me to apologise said that had this information been passed on they would never have come to us like that.”

A police spokeswoman said: “Plain clothes officers forced entry to a property to execute a warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act and to locate an individual believed to be involved in the supply of drugs. The individual in question was not found to be on the premises. A senior officer has now contacted the householder to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

“All officers in Norwich are committed to taking positive and robust action to tackle drug-related crime in our city.”

Since January 1 this year police have obtained have obtained 78 search warrants from Norwich Magistrates Court under the Misuse of Drugs Act and they say this is the first time they have not found the person they were targeting.

Have you had to make a complaint against the police?

Contact reporter Dominic Chessum on 01603 772428 or email dominic.chessum@archant.co.uk

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