Armed British police hunting suspected gun dealer storm ill old lady's home -- smashing down front door and leaving her hospitalised for shock

Armed police hunting a firearms suspect stormed the home of an injured 66-year-old woman, frightening her so much she needed hospital treatment for shock.

Frail pensioner Hermine Lynch, 66, was lying in bed recovering from two broken vertebrae when the police burst into her home.

She was so frightened of the raid, conducted under the cover of darkness at her Birmingham home, that she had to go to hospital to be treated for shock.

Hermine Lynch's family say there were three doors damaged in the home, which police left in 'a right state'

The police search was also misplaced, with their target - wanted man Antoine Peak - not located at either of the two addresses raided that evening.

Her family has now hit out at the police raid, saying she could have been killed.

Her brother, FA Cup winner Dave Bennett, said he was making an official complaint to West Midlands Police. 'They messed up and we had to pick up the pieces. Hermine is in a bad way. She could have died - what would have been said then? 'I am not going to allow this to be swept under the carpet.'

Three doors were said to have been damaged in the raid, conducted in the early hours of May 13.

Her son Jeremy, 28, said: 'Officers with guns stormed into my mother’s home - and we’re not talking little pistols, we’re talking great big guns.

'They had a warrant. They left the door in a right state. The only courteous thing they did was to ring Midland Heart to put a makeshift board on the door.

'Until that night, she hadn’t been out of the house for two months. Her heartbeat wouldn’t go down because she was so worked up. 'We didn’t leave City Hospital until 8am.'

Superintendent Darren Miles, Head of Operations for West Midlands Police, said police had visited two 'interlinked' addresses, where recent information had placed the wanted man.

He said it was 'essential' to enter both premises to ensure a safe arrest. 'The armed officers quickly and safely established that he was not at the addresses and ensured that the lady at the house had the appropriate medical treatment for shock.

'As I am sure the public will appreciate, we have to act safely but quickly when seeking to arrest someone who we believe has access to a firearm.'

Original report here

　

　

　

(And don't forget your ration of Wicked Thoughts for today. Now hosted on Wordpress. If you cannot access it, go to the MIRROR SITE, where posts appear as well as on the primary site. I have reposted the archives (past posts) for Wicked Thoughts HERE or HERE or here