Armed police raid gundog trainer after shots reported

A gundog trainer from Warwickshire is seeking legal advice after armed police raided her home. 

CCTV footage captured the moment when Helen Cadman was put in an armlock by armed police. Officers told Mrs Cadman that they were investigating a report that 10 gunshots had been fired. However, Mrs Cadman does not own a firearm, only a standard dummy launcher that uses .22 blanks for training. 

“The gates were open and the dogs started running down the drive. My instinct was, They’re going to get out, they’re going to get on the road,” Mrs Cadman recalled. “Then I saw two men, completely dressed in black, with face masks on. And I thought it was an armed burglary. I didn’t know what to do.” 

The officers were quick to realise the mistake and offered Mrs Cadman a verbal apology at the scene. However, she suffered minor injuries, including whiplash and a bite from an overexcited labrador. 

Mrs Cadman and her husband Mark have been told the damage to their electric front gates will cost £8,500 to repair. 

She is planning to make a formal complaint. Warwickshire Police has asked its firearms inspector to review the incident and a superintendent has offered to visit the couple.