THREE members of a Wiltshire family who say police raids on their property in search of hard drugs were unjustified and violated their human rights have taken their case to London’s High Court.

Brian and Evelyn Austen, along with their son, Michael Austen, say they were caused “considerable anxiety and disruption” by the February 2010 raids on properties on the Chelworth Park Industrial Estate and Michael’s home at Pear Tree Farm, Chelworth Road, both in Cricklade.

They are accusing Wiltshire Police of putting “inaccurate, misleading and incomplete” information before magistrates who issued the search warrants and say the whole operation – which involved a large number of officers – may have been triggered by a “malicious complaint”.

The Austens – represented by top QC, Hugh Tomlinson – are mounting a judicial review challenge to the force’s conduct and are also claiming damages for alleged breach of Article 8 of the Human Rights Convention, which enshrines the right to respect for privacy and family life.

But lawyers for the Wiltshire Chief Constable insist the search warrants were applied for “in good faith” and officers at the time had “reasonable grounds to suspect” Brian and Michael involvement in supplying cocaine.

Yesterday at the High Court, Sir Anthony May directed a one-day hearing of the case before a top judge, a date for which has yet to be fixed.