A couple were arrested at gunpoint in the
middle of the night when a remote control
was mistaken for a firearm. Michelle Malone, 46, and Keith Abrahams,
44, were woken up by an armed police raid
at their home and bundled into a police van. Cops swooped after reports of a man
brandishing a gun in the property – but it
turned out to be the TV remote. Now Michelle and Keith are suing after
being locked in a cell and quizzed by detectives for four hours. They were later released without charge and
– to top off the indignity of the entire
situation – “humiliated” Keith was forced to
walk home in just his underwear. The mix-up happened on June 24 when a paramedic attended the couple’s house
after Michelle suffered a panic attack. But her condition worsened when 18
officers burst into their flat in Hereford at
1am the next morning. The pair said they were surrounded by 10
armed officers wearing body armour, eight
uniformed police as well as a dog handler. They were then frog-marched from their
home and taken to a nearby police station. Officers then conducted a forensic
fingertip search of the property but found
no trace of a gun. Detectives confirmed during the pair’s
interview the paramedic believed he had
spotted Keith holding a firearm in the
bedroom. But Michelle revealed how Keith had been
watching TV in bed at the time of the
medic’s visit – and the only thing he had
been holding at the time was a remote
control. She said: “The police told us the medic had
seen a 10 inch long black firearm being held
by Keith as he lay in bed. “But he had dozed off watching TV in his
bedroom – it must have been the remote. “There is no other explanation. The room
was dark but I can’t see how you would
mistake it for a weapon. “I suffered the indignity of being treated
like this all for the sake of a television
remote control. “I’m an upstanding citizen and normal
people should not be treated like this. “I can only believe to imagine what my
neighbours thought. “I just remember running out of bed after
hearing a bang like and earthquake and
seeing police pointing guns at Keith, who
was up against the wall. “We were held at the station for four hours
but released without charge, but I couldn’t
believe it when I heard they were searching
for a gun. “I’ve never had a gun in my life – I’ve never
even seen one before. “It was just horrendous. “I got back to the house and it was
completely wrecked from the search and I
just broke down. “We received no apology and I just feel
violated by their intrusive actions.” Michelle, a former prison custody officer,
is now taking legal action against West Mercia Police and has complained to the
IPCC after she suffered concussion, which
she says was a result of police’s heavy-
handed tactics. Keith, a forklift truck driver, added: “I was
shocked to death. “Having guns pointed within an inch of my
eyes is not the most fun. I had only been sat
in bed and I’d dozed off watching
something on telly. “The next thing I know I’m being ordered
out of bed at gunpoint, it was absolutely
terrifying. “They took Michelle home but I had to walk
back wearing a vest and boxer shorts. “It was pretty humiliating.” The couple are also demanding an apology
from West Midlands Ambulance Service
(WMAS) who have since launched an internal
investigation into the paramedic who called
police. Yesterday a police spokeswoman confirmed
they were investigating the complaints
raised by Michelle and Keith. A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance
Service said: “WMAS has received a formal
complaint regarding the incident in
Hereford. “It would be inappropriate to comment
further while an investigation into the
complain is ongoing.”
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