Lothian and Borders police among worst in UK for botched raids

The force had to shell out 43,880 – the highest of the Scottish police forces surveyed – to repair "unnecessary" damage to doors and windows caused by officers smashing their way into properties during 2008.

The figure is the third-highest payout of the 30 forces included in a UK-wide survey, putting it ahead of much larger forces such as Merseyside and Greater Manchester.

The survey, the result of a freedom of information request, also revealed that Tayside, Strathclyde and Grampian police were among the top 20 forces paying compensation to repair raided homes in the UK.

Tayside police, who spent 6,025 repairing properties, were in 13th place in the UK-wide ranking.

Grampian police, 19th in the national ranking, spent 3,055 in total, including one raid on the wrong property.

Bill Aitken, Conservative MSP and shadow cabinet secretary for justice, was shocked that Lothian and Borders police came so high in the poll.

He said: "Bearing in mind the population and prevalence of crime in the area when compared to other police forces in the UK, it does come as a surprise.

"Of course, we must bear in mind that it is not just police officers going to the wrong house but wrong information they receive before carrying out the raids."

According to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, police are liable for compensation if they are operating "unlawfully'' or use excessive force when raiding a property.

This can include raiding the wrong property or using force that cannot be shown to be "reasonable, proportionate and necessary to effect entry".

A Tayside police spokesman said their force would only pay compensation for "damage deemed to be caused accidentally, maliciously or with gross recklessness''.

And a spokesman for Grampian police said repairs were "only paid for by the force when the wrong property has been entered''.

Among the Scottish forces, Lothian and Borders paid the highest compensation bill for a single raid, of 2,364.

The Edinburgh-based force was unable to comment on the figures yesterday.

Susie Squire, political director for Taxpayers' Alliance, slammed the level of compensation as "much too high'".

She said: "It is very important that police are able to effectively fight crime.

"But this level of compensation indicates that, in many cases, they are acting in a destructive and careless manner."

According to the information, 30 police forces from around the UK paid 560,000 in compensation and repair costs last year.

The Metropolitan Police accounted for almost half of the UK total, spending 283,829 in 2008 alone.

The Scotsman revealed on Saturday that Scottish police spent more than 75,000 fixing vehicles filled with the wrong fuel during the last five years.

IT'S A FAIR COP

1. Met – 283,829 paid out

2. N/Ireland – 45, 072

3. Lothian & Borders – 43,880

4. Kent – 26,523

5. Thames Valley – 25,725

6. Gloucestershire – 23,001

7. Durham – 17,509

8. Hertfordshire – 15,050

9. Sussex – 11,658

10. Northamptonshire – 9,567

11. City of London – 9,358

12. Dyfed Powys – 6,684

13. Tayside – 6,025

14. Suffolk – 4,932

15. Merseyside – 4,853

16. Cambridgeshire – 3,927

17. South Wales – 3,319

18. Hampshire – 3,110

19. Grampian – 3,056

20. Strathclyde – 2,589