Police search of my home

[Rob1111]

Hi all. I live in the UK. Somebody had made a serious false allegation about me and I have been contacted already by the police to say an investigation is being launched and due to the nature of the allegation there is a possibility that a search of my home will be made.

So I'm expecting a search of my home to happen I have nothing to hide but at the same time I don't want police searching through all my stuff, and looking at private my private information I also have pets etc I also have a lot of personal belongings which I don't want broken by police being clumsy during there search.

As I already know that a search warrant may be issued, would this effect the search warrant in anyway such as it being invalid as I already know about a search could happen?

[echat11]

Hi ROB1111

Welcome to LB

I think the best course of action might be for you to contact a solicitor a.s.a.p., some may provide Pro Bono advice.

[islandgirl]

I agree with the above. I sign search warrants. The intelligence has to be extremely good and the justification very high to approve one.

[PallasAthena]

I'd always assumed the police never told someone that they had a search warrant until they turned up at the premises. Seems a bit self-defeating to tell someone.in advance, they'll just remove whatever they don't want the police to see. But what I know about search warrants comes only from watching police procedurals on TV.

[echat11]

If you know when it's going to be (they tell you), you can have someone there as a Witness or CCTV.

[islandgirl]

They will not tell you when the search will take place. They tell us when it will....(or within which time window it will take place)

[Rob1111]

I have no idea when its going to be or if its going to happen but I'm just going to assume the worse because of things I've watched and read in the news but also the nature of the allegation. All's I know is that the police have zero factual evidence against me other than hearsay from somebody who wants revenge on me and as I'm innocent the police wont find anything regardless or a home search. The only thing that will happen out of all this is that the police will have wasted there time and caused me a lot of distress as well as damage to my property plus damage to my reputation and the humiliation. I have read online that police are not held accountable for damage of property/belongings. I don't trust the police as far as I can throw them. I understand the importance of searches of the homes of real criminals but for them to search my home would be totally unnecessary and a waste of time.

I had an ex girlfriend once who told police I had firearms in my home that resulted in a police home search and as this was lies and police didn't find anything and let me go I'm expecting to have a similar experience to that.

I am also a hoarder who has a lot of belongings and collectables so navigation around my home may not be so easy for the police to move about, I expect they will just throw things out of the way while stepping on other things.

[Rob1111]

I agree with the above. I sign search warrants. The intelligence has to be extremely good and the justification very high to approve one.

Do all search warrants have to be signed or are there exceptions when they don't have to be signed?

[echat11]

I take it that if you are out when they visit, they will 'break' the door down, you will return to find the door on one hinge.

[islandgirl]

Search warrants appear before magistrates. The Police have to make the case very well indeed. We check if there are vulnerable people and ask about the reliability of the intelligence received. It is not a quick or simple process.

[Rob1111]

I take it that if you are out when they visit, they will 'break' the door down, you will return to find the door on one hinge.

The police would have to secure my front door because they can't just leave it unsecured plus when I'm found to be innocent I want the names of each officer involved and make a civil claim because being totally violated and having my personal belongings trashed and private info read is bad enough so I expect them to at least secure the property.

[Rob1111]

Search warrants appear before magistrates. The Police have to make the case very well indeed. We check if there are vulnerable people and ask about the reliability of the intelligence received. It is not a quick or simple process.

I guess I would have to just wait and see if anything happens. I am considered a vulnerable person myself but nobody else lives here other than myself. They'll probably attempt to carry out the search late at night I'm guessing.

[islandgirl]

Not necessarily and unless there are very good grounds to do so they will not get a warrant. Go and see a solicitor and explain what has been said perhaps - get them to contact the Police

[Manxman]

I'd always assumed the police never told someone that they had a search warrant until they turned up at the premises. Seems a bit self-defeating to tell someone.in advance, they'll just remove whatever they don't want the police to see. But what I know about search warrants comes only from watching police procedurals on TV.

I agree.

I can't believe the police would give someone any advance notice at all that their home might be made subject to a search warrant.

It would defeat the purpose of the warrant...

[Rob1111]

Update on the situation.

This morning I got a knock at the door from a police officer and two detectives with there body worn cameras on saying they have had reports of my being violent and harming animals which I would never do and also anybody that knows me knows that I'm not violent.

They could see all my pets were fine and that they were being looked after with food and water. Then they wanted to have a look around my property although it wasn't a search but more of what they could see in sight and I have a lot of antique stuff, one of my hobbies is a treasure hunting so I also collect things I find which also includes deer antlers and various animal skulls I've found. One of the detectives was looking at them for some time while filming it on his camera. I suspect having animal skulls and antlers doesn't look good.

The other officer and detective asked me about things I've watched online and sites I have visited and as I had nothing to hide I gladly fired up my computer while they filmed it and showed my files on my computer as well as my browsing history, they also wanted to take away some USB flash drives they saw but then they decided not to take them.

They then moved onto talking about my mental health because of my issues with hoarding and the fact I was on medication for depression which I had stopped taking as if they were trying to suggest that I was mentally ill. I had told the police why I had stopped taking my medication and they seemed happy with my reasoning. They hadn't arrested me for anything I don't know what other allegations have been made against me they just said the investigations are still ongoing.