A YOUNG mum today slammed police hardline tactics after winning damages against officers who opened her three-year-old son's Christmas presents in front of him.

And Janine Hindle, 26, of Atlas Road, Darwen, revealed that the ordeal of seeing police in his house just four days before Christmas had changed her son Brandon forever.

Miss Hindle secured £750 in damages after suing Lancashire Constabulary following a drugs raid at her home on December 21, 1999.

Recorder Sander, who presided over the civil case at Shire Hall, Lancaster Castle, judged that police failed to properly execute the search warrant as they only gave Miss Hindle the bottom copy, rather than all three sheets of paper.

This meant that a strip search of Miss Hindle became technical assault, and detaining her in her home for the duration of the raid was false imprisonment.

The court was told that police suspected Craig Hollins, Miss Hindle's partner on and off from 1995 to 1999, still lived at her home.

He had a drugs conviction in 1996, but Miss Hindle said he had moved out of the house in June 1999, six months before the search.

During the three-day case, police said they searched Brandon's Christmas presents before his eyes because it was not beyond the realms of possibility that someone could store drugs there.

No drugs were recovered from the raid and Miss Hindle was not charged with any offence. Miss Hindle told the court that police refused her requests to remove Brandon from the room, although officers denied this.

Six officers in protective uniform burst into her home and searched the house for one and a half hours.

Today Miss Hindle said: "It has been hard to see what it did to Brandon. It changed him from a happy-go lucky lad who was scared of nothing, to a nervous boy .

"Brandon didn't enjoy Christmas like a normal three year old. He can remember everything from that day.

"He thinks the police have been naughty and that his mummy has got them told off.

"I have taken this action for Brandon. He kept me going through it. If Brandon had not have been there and seen everything I would have let it drop.

"This has been hard for me. To get this over and done with is a big relief and I am pleased to know I have stood my ground. It has been an ordeal."

"If they had done the job properly in finding out who lived there, they would have realised Craig Hollins didn't live here."

Officers said a source had told them the property was being used as a safe house to store drugs and money.

The raid was one of six on the same day for Operation Gettysberg, a major drugs crackdown in Darwen.

Miss Hindle claimed the sergeant leading the raid, Christoper Hayhurst, of Great Harwood police, did not show her the search warrant until 25 minutes into the raid.

Sgt Hayhurst said he gave the papers to her after five minutes.

The £750 in damages was settled between Lancashire Constabulary and Forbes Solicitors, who represented Miss Hindle.

John Miles, Miss Hindle's solicitor, said: "Janine knew if she was successful she was never going to make a lot of money out of this. She has always accepted that the police have a difficult and important task in combating drug crime but they also have to be subjected to reasonable checks and restraints. She bears no grudge but hopes lessons will be learnt for the future."

A spokesman for Lancashire Constabulary said: "We are aware of this case and note the judgement."