Police forces pay out £303,000 in compensation after officers raid wrong address

Police forces have paid out £303,000 in compensation to householders after officers battered down the wrong doors.

In their eagerness to arrest suspects there were at least 255 cases in the past three years where the homes of innocent people were raided.

Figures show the blunders happened due to address mix-ups or officers receiving dodgy information.

On some occasions they broke in over health concerns – but did not check it was the right house.

The total cost of payouts is recorded at £303,000 but is believed to be higher as forces such as the Met, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, and Avon and Somerset, did not respond, saying it would be too difficult for them to calculate the figures.

Thames Valley Police recently paid out £57,000 after officers raided a home, handcuffed the owner and corralled his young family together in the living room.

After almost 30 minutes it was discovered the suspect they wanted to detain lived next door.

Merseyside Police admitted to 42 payouts – with a £5,200 cheque for a wrong address raid being the biggest.

AndWest Mercia Police sanctioned a payment of almost £14,000 in a case where officers concerned for the safety of somebody, had broken into the wrong address.

Iain Gould, a solicitor who has won several compensation cases, said: “Many people suffer with anxiety, mood and sleep disturbance following an incident.

“There are few noises more frightening than that of your house being broken into.”

And William Yarwood, media manager at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “The authorities should focus on smarter policing instead of dishing out compensation cheques.”

The Home Office and the National Police Chiefs’ Council have declined to comment.