Solicitor Recommendation for Claim against the Police
Solicitor Recommendation for Claim against the Police
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48k

Original Poster:

17,392 posts

177 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
A friend of mine had a house that he owns raided by the Police and he believes the raid was unjustified. An enquiry to the Police Public Liability Claims service has said no compensation for the damage is payable as the raid was justified. He's looking to get some legal advice to see if it's worth pursuing or just has to take it on the chin. Google shows a plethora of "no win no fee" type solicitors but I thought I'd ask on here for recommendations for him to follow up.

caziques

2,842 posts

197 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all

Leading case in New Zealand of relevance:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simpson_v_Attorney-G...

Trying to prove the police had no "probable cause" or "reasonable suspicion" may be difficult.

Chrisgr31

14,275 posts

284 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
What does he want compensation for? The fact he was raided, or the damage caused?

I may be naive but I don't think the Police randomly raid peoples houses just on a whim so they are likely to have a reason, unless they have made a mistake and got the wrong house.

The only person I know whose house was raided had moved in the day before, and the police were looking for the previous occupier a suspected drug dealer. When they realised the occupier had changed they quickly apologised and fixed the damage.

48k

Original Poster:

17,392 posts

177 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
Chrisgr31 said:
What does he want compensation for? The fact he was raided, or the damage caused?

I may be naive but I don't think the Police randomly raid peoples houses just on a whim so they are likely to have a reason, unless they have made a mistake and got the wrong house.

The only person I know whose house was raided had moved in the day before, and the police were looking for the previous occupier a suspected drug dealer. When they realised the occupier had changed they quickly apologised and fixed the damage.
The "intelligence" upon which the warrant was authorised is demonstrably 5 months out of date (at least) and my friend believes that the Police haven't conducted thorough enough due diligence and observations on the property. He is not a "compo compo" type and understands the Police were just doing their job but he believes the raid was not justified and they should pay for the damage. He'd just like some legal advice and I thought I'd post on here to see if anyone can recommend a solicitor who has expertise in this area that I can pass on to him as his solicitor came back with "sorry not my area of expertise".

The Mad Monk

11,466 posts

146 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
48k said:
The "intelligence" upon which the warrant was authorised is demonstrably 5 months out of date (at least) and my friend believes that the Police haven't conducted thorough enough due diligence and observations on the property. He is not a "compo compo" type and understands the Police were just doing their job but he believes the raid was not justified and they should pay for the damage. He'd just like some legal advice and I thought I'd post on here to see if anyone can recommend a solicitor who has expertise in this area that I can pass on to him as his solicitor came back with "sorry not my area of expertise".
Is this about a friend of yours?

Or is it about "Your Friend"?

Matt_E_Mulsion

1,746 posts

94 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
I'd look at the simple facts, is he engaged in Criminal Activity or not???

If its a Yes then suck it up, if its a No then he probably has a case.

From the lack of clarity in the original post I'm going to take a guess at a Yes and he is bolshie enough to think he can get away with claiming against the police.

Greendubber

15,265 posts

232 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
Did they seize anything?

What was the warrant in relation to, drugs, weapons, stolen property etc?

Tony1963

5,808 posts

191 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
Roughly what value does the damage come to?

Greendubber

15,265 posts

232 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
Has he contacted the force in question yet?

NGee

2,935 posts

193 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
Matt_E_Mulsion said:
I'd look at the simple facts, is he engaged in Criminal Activity or not???

If its a Yes then suck it up, if its a No then he probably has a case.

From the lack of clarity in the original post I'm going to take a guess at a Yes and he is bolshie enough to think he can get away with claiming against the police.
It might not be as simple as that. (Although you might be right!)
In the original post it says a house his friend 'owns', I would take this to mean it could be rented out so it might be the tenant that they were looking for, not the OPs friend.

If so the police could be justified in breaking in and the tenant could be responsible for the repairs - good luck with that though!

hyphen

26,262 posts

119 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
Tony1963 said:
Roughly what value does the damage come to?
+1

You say "a house that he owns" so sounds like he wasn't there and no distress caused?

Teddy Lop

8,301 posts

96 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
Chrisgr31 said:
What does he want compensation for? The fact he was raided, or the damage caused?
[b]
I may be naive but I don't think the Police randomly raid peoples houses just on a whim so they are likely to have a reason, unless they have made a mistake and got the wrong house.[/b]

The only person I know whose house was raided had moved in the day before, and the police were looking for the previous occupier a suspected drug dealer. When they realised the occupier had changed they quickly apologised and fixed the damage.
I was staying in a house that got raided, and named on the search warrant as a supplier of class A's, which was complete and utter fantasy. Probably had more to do with the homeowners bitter ex having family in the flying squad. Especially as the only room specifically not turned over was the daughters. He's had several new front doors paid for by the met over the years. Never found anything to justify it..

catman

2,504 posts

204 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
The Mad Monk said:
Is this about a friend of yours?

Or is it about "Your Friend"?
Why do people insist on doing this? It's bloody irritating to have your integrity questioned and adds nothing to the thread.

sociopath

3,433 posts

95 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
Just don't bother, it'll be a huge amount of pain and you're likely to get nowhere as they'll just say they disagree with you and it was justified.
Speaking from experience of having a BTL door kicked in by the Essex plod to get at a Met BiB!

Greendubber

15,265 posts

232 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
sociopath said:
Just don't bother, it'll be a huge amount of pain and you're likely to get nowhere as they'll just say they disagree with you and it was justified.
Speaking from experience of having a BTL door kicked in by the Essex plod to get at a Met BiB!
If only the Met BIB had opened the door.

anonymous-user

83 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
OP: the solicitors to contact are Bindmans LLP.


The Mad Monk

11,466 posts

146 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
catman said:
The Mad Monk said:
Is this about a friend of yours?

Or is it about "Your Friend"?
Why do people insist on doing this? It's bloody irritating to have your integrity questioned and adds nothing to the thread.
I haven't questioned your integrity.

catman

2,504 posts

204 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
The Mad Monk said:
catman said:
The Mad Monk said:
Is this about a friend of yours?

Or is it about "Your Friend"?
Why do people insist on doing this? It's bloody irritating to have your integrity questioned and adds nothing to the thread.
I haven't questioned your integrity.
No, you haven't, although I have had the same nonsense directed at me in the past. What's wrong with just accepting that the OP is telling the truth?

105.4

4,214 posts

100 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
48k said:
A friend of mine had a house that he owns raided by the Police and he believes the raid was unjustified.
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