Tomatoes leave drug officers red faced

7:16am Wednesday 11th July 2007

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Kingston drug squad officers raided a flat in Berrylands but its occupant claims they mistook tomato plants on his balcony for cannabis plants.

Adrian Pattenden said at least eight officers arrived at his flat in King Charles Road at 1.30pm last Wednesday and broke down the door with a battering ram, without giving any prior warning.

Mr Pattenden, 35, who is agoraphobic and suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, admits to having smoked cannabis in the past but said the raid was too heavy-handed for a single drug user.

He said the trauma of the raid left him unable to leave the house.

He said: "They came screaming down the corridor, shouting Drugs Squad! Get down on the floor!"

They then handcuffed me and a female friend who was staying with me at the time.

"I think they saw my tomato plants on my balcony the day before when they were investigating a burglary downstairs, and thought I was growing cannabis."

DI Aberdeen from Kingston Police denied the tomato plants were the reason for the raid, saying officers received intelligence that drugs were in the flat.

He said: "A warrant was obtained. Quick, immediate and effective entry, which is police policy, was gained to the flat, and cannabis was found."

Mr Pattenden claimed officers searched his flat, including looking at his tomato plants.

No evidence of cannabis cultivation was found, but a small amount of cannabis was discovered in his bedroom, for which Mr Pattenden accepted a formal warning for drug possession.

He said: "They handed me a warrant on the way out, with no apology.

"They told me they would call the council to have the door fixed. My lawyer filed a complaint at the police station the next day."