The damage Merseyside Police is said to have caused to the door during the warrant
A woman claims she woke up the day after her birthday to the sound of police "barging" into her bedroom. Emily Kathryn recently moved from her hometown in Cornwall to Liverpool alongside her long-term friend Zoe.
The two, who act as carers for each other as they are both disabled, moved into their new home in Toxteth on February 11. Despite only being in the city for a number of weeks, the 28-year-old said she has been left with a bad impression after what she claims happened with Merseyside Police.
After having a quiet birthday celebration with Zoe, Emily said they were both looking forward to a lie-in the next morning. However, she said she was unexpectedly woken up by a group of Merseyside Police officers "charging" into her home.
A copy of the warrant, issued on March 3 and seen by the ECHO, states it authorised officers to enter the premises to search for "Class A controlled drugs". During the search, police said officers found the two residents with cannabis, a Class B drug, and they were subsequently handed Community Resolution Orders.
Emily claims the cannabis was being used by Zoe for her fibromyalgia while she waited for it to be medically prescribed to her. She told the ECHO: “The first thing that happened was a huge bang, then of all a sudden this charge of the feet. The next thing I knew, there were cops in my face, grabbing my arms and stopping me from moving.
Emily Kathryn claims Merseyside Police mistook her Lego in bubble wrap for Class A drugs
Emily said Merseyside Police officers told her they were looking for Class A drugs at her home - something she says neither her or Zoe are involved in. She said: “We have only lived here three weeks; we aren’t involved in any of that, and we tried to tell the officers that.
“I’m autistic, so I hate being touched by strangers, and it triggers my fight or flight response, but there was nothing I could do. I had to put up with it, and I hated it. It was so intensely uncomfortable.”
Emily claims the officers turned the bathroom taps on “to flush out drugs”, but they were not turned back off, causing some water damage.
The Merseyside Police spokesperson added: “Officers may use force when executing a warrant. A lawful entry was carried out at the property in Toxteth on Friday, 7 March.
“Officers were acting in obedience to the warrant. As such, it is the occupiers’ responsibility to repair. During the search of the property Class B drugs (cannabis) were found, and two people in the address were handed Community Resolution Orders.”
Police barged into my bedroom 'and said welcome to Liverpool'
Merseyside Police said it was granted a warrant to search the property
