Police have paid out an undisclosed cash sum to an innocent man after officers investigating the disappearance of murdered Dundee woman Mary McLaren smashed their way into his house without a search warrant, leaving bloodstains on carpets, bedding and walls.
Lloyd Anderson had sued Police Scotland Tayside for £5,000 in damages for the replacement of carpets and bed linen, redecoration of various rooms, repairs to his front door and for the “anxiety, sleeplessness and depression” suffered as a result.
The case, listed as Lloyd Anderson vs The Chief Constable, was set to continue at Dundee Sheriff Court today but The Courier can reveal that the force has reached a settlement with the 48-year-old musician.
Police had admitted liability for the “unlawful” break-in and search but contested the amount of damages originally claimed by Mr Anderson.
Mr Anderson’s solicitor George Donnelly said: “The matter has now been settled to the mutual satisfaction of both parties. The case will call in the civil court on Monday but will be dismissed as a settlement has been reached out of court.”
The incident happened in March 2010 as teams of detectives searched the city for Mrs McLaren, who went missing after a night out in Dundee and whose body was subsequently found hidden in shrubbery at North Marketgait.
A CCTV image from Fat Sams nightclub was released to the press and a police source says it was believed detectives were wrongly given information that the man in the photograph was Mr Anderson.
Irishman Patrick Rae was eventually arrested and found guilty after trial of the murder and is now serving a life sentence.
In his claim Mr Anderson, who had been in Glasgow on March 4, said he arrived home at 11pm that night to find his front door panel had been removed and thrown in the front garden.
Two chipboard panels had been nailed to the door and he could not gain access to his house.
At that point two plainclothes CID officers arrived and he was taken to Bell Street for questioning.
He was later released and had to climb through the lower door panel to get into the house.
Inside he found glass fragments and wooden splinters covering the lower hallway and blood, which came from an officer who had cut himelf, had been smeared on the kitchen and living room doors, on the upstairs landing and on a bed sheet.
There were also bloodstains on carpets and floor coverings, as well as in the living room, on the stairs and on the bedroom carpets.
Mr Anderson says he had to have the items replaced and redecorated at a total cost of £4,524.80.
In addition he said the incident had caused him considerable upset and distress as a result of his property being violated, leading to “anxiety, sleeplessness and depression.”
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland Tayside Division said the force would not be commenting on the matter.