'I AM A VICTIM OF STATE TERRORISM'

One of the city's best known pro-cannabis campaigners today claimed he
is the victim of "state terrorism" after being arrested in a police
swoop.

A dozen police officers in full riot gear raided market stallholder
Carl Wagner's house in Victoria Square, off Ella Street, west Hull, on
Monday.

Mr Wagner, 44, was handcuffed and held in Priory Road police station
for 11 hours before being released on bail without being charged.

He was arrested on suspicion of possessing cannabis with intent to
supply.

The raid came after police secured a search warrant from city
magistrates.

But Mr Wagner told the Mail: "I will fight any charges that might be brought
against me.

"They turned my house upside down, absolutely terrified my wife and
three-year-old daughter and came away with just four plants and about
an ounce of weed."

He claimed the warrant had been obtained after an anonymous tip-off
that he was in possession of crack cocaine.

"When my solicitor told me about the crack cocaine I was completely
gobsmacked," he said.

"More damaging for me is that they have also seized my takings from
the stall, my computer and my mobile phone.

"They have made it virtually impossible for me to function as a
trader. It was pure state terrorism designed to destroy my business
and my family.

"The police know perfectly well I always have cannabis on me. All they
had to do was knock on my door or ring me up and ask to see it."

Mr Wagner has run a stall in Hull's indoor Trinity Market selling
cannabis and hemp-related products for the past two years.

He also stood for parliament as a Legalise Cannabis Alliance candidate
in the last General Election in the Hull North constituency.

"I am convinced what happened is part of an organised witch
hunt.

"My wife was totally humiliated by the experience and my daughter was
left wondering why police officers were searching through her toys and
sweets.

"I have to ask what benefit they got from scaring the life out of my
wife and child and locking me up in a cell for eight hours."

A police spokeswoman declined to identify Mr Wagner but added: "A
44-year-old man from the Ella Street area was arrested on suspicion of
intent to supply. He has been released on police bail for a week."