By Conor Sharkey
A STRABANE couple who had their front door kicked in during a botched police raid has called on the PSNI to issue a full public apology.
The amazing incident occurred early on Friday at the St Colman's Drive home of young Strabane couple Gail and Robert Doherty.
At around 11.30am, several police officers kicked the door off its hinges, before confronting Mrs Doherty, the only person home at the time.
After shouting a number of questions at the frightened woman, police soon realised their mistake and left the house red faced.
Speaking to the Strabane Chronicle earlier this week, Robert Doherty said he wanted a public apology to clear his and his wife's name of any wrong doing.
"My wife was here on her own when four officers came charging through the door, shouting and asking 'where's the dog?'
Gail told them that we didn't have a dog and I think then they realised they had the wrong address.
"But then they just turned around and walked back out, leaving the door lying on the floor and my wife in tears. They didn't come back to see how she was for another 15 minutes.
"I'm completely disgusted and angered at the way this was handled and all I want now is to clear our names. We've only been living here a short time and all our neighbours know we aren't involved in anything.
"But I still feel it's important that we get a public apology just to let people know that we haven't done anything wrong.
"The police have apologised to myself and my wife, but I want them to issue a statement publicly declaring that this was their mistake and nothing to do with us at all," he said.
A PSNI spokesperson confirmed yesterday (Wednesday) that the incident was a misunderstanding on their behalf and that they had been in contact with the couple to explain this. He added that the PSNI had apologised for any inconvenience.
Meanwhile, it is understood that a further statement on the issue could be released by police later today.
District Policing Partnership member and newly elected vice-chair of Strabane District Council Eugene McMenamin said he would be speaking to the PSNI on the issue in the near future.
"Unfortunately these things do happen occasionally but to have your door
