By Alan Rodgers and John McCusker
AN OMAGH man has spoken of the horror experienced by his wife and two young children after their family home was wrongly targeted in a botched drugs raid by police earlier this week.
The bungled operation took place at Gortmore Gardens just off the Derry Road on Monday afternoon while the intended target is believed to have simply walked away from the scene.
Police have since apologised for their mistake but the owner of the house says the scars will last far longer.
Richard Donnell told the UH of how it was lucky his wife and children, including a young baby, were out of the house when police used a battering ram to gain entry.
"My four-year-old daughter has a habit of running to the front door when someone comes. But the police didn't even wait to see if there was anyone in the house on Monday afternoon," he said.
"I got the call from my wife who was in tears when she returned home to find out what had happened. The police didn't even have the decency to wait around to tell us of the mistake and just gave the key to neighbours.
"We didn't know anything about this and it was just very lucky that my wife and children were out at the time. It's very distressing to find your front door beaten in like this."
Mr Donnell also spoke of his annoyance at what he described as the 'off-hand' approach by police who visited the home after the incident.
He added that drawers, furniture and even the four-year-old's bed were ransacked in the 15 minutes before red-faced PSNI officers realised their mistake.
"Our daughter had made her bed in the morning and she was upset because they went through her teddy bears and bed. People have been driving past the house and looking in," he added.
"They probably think that we must have done something but that simply isn't the case. It was a raid on a house close by related to drugs."
Neighbours in the quiet residential area reported hearing a commotion before officers broke down the door.
One eyewitness told the UH how officers dressed in flak jackets and helmets used the battering ram to gain access to the premises. A car with back-up officers arrived on the scene and police in gloves began carrying out a search of the house.
A PSNI spokesman said the residents of the house were in no way connected with the investigation.
"On Monday, police carried out a search operation at a house in the Gortmore area. No-one was at home at the time and after entry was gained, it became clear that the residents of the house were in no way connected with the investigation," they said.
Omagh Town Sinn Fein Councillor, Sean Begley, described the manner of the raid as a disgrace which would do nothing to boost confidence in policing operations locally.
"This incident highlights serious issues that must be addressed by the PSNI and also shows total incompetence on their part," he said.
"I have been told that over ten members of the PSNI in full riot gear and travelling in three vehicles arrived to take part in the operation.
"They have said a 'clerical error' was to blame for the mistake. This is totally unacceptable. If this raid was as the result of intelligence there would have been some knowledge about the house to be raided.
"This isn't the first time such an error was made in Omagh and certainly hiding behind the cloak of a 'clerical error' isn't acceptable. We will be pursuing this issue until there are satisfactory answers given and also to ensure such incidents are prevented in the future."
