Careers advice for leavers

DUNDEE school leavers have the chance to gain career advice at a free information day in the city.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is staging its winter leaver event on Wednesday for young people who have recently left school and are unsure of what to do next.

Training providers and careers advisers will meet the former pupils, aged 16 to 19, at the SDS headquarters in the Royal Exchange building on Panmure Street from 1-3pm.

Rose-Marie Stewart, team leader at SDS Dundee, said: “Leaving school is a big step for anyone and, if you don’t have a plan in place, it can be quite intimidating.

“There are lots of opportunities open to young people locally, and this event will help recent school leavers get a better idea of what they could do next.

“We’d encourage any local young people who have recently left school to come along, meet with the team and get planning for the future.” A LOCHEE dad is considering legal action after police forced their way into his home and put him in handcuffs in a case of mistaken identity.

Andrew Alexander, 43, was enjoying an evening in with his son Drew, 14, when police entered his Kirk Street house.

Officers in riot gear “battered” his door in and said they had a warrant to arrest a man with the same name, in connection with alleged firearms offences.

However, it soon emerged they were targeting the wrong person.

Mr Alexander has received an apology from Police Scotland since September’s i ncident – but is unhappy at how it was handled.

He said: “It happened late on a Saturday night.

“I heard them battering down the door.

“The door hadn’t opened and I said I would open it for them.

“There were eight officers, some of them in riot gear.

“They came in and showed me a warrant to search the premises for suspected firearms.

“It was quickly flashed in my face and it said that Andrew Alexander was concerned i n firearms.

“I was i mmediately put i n handcuffs and my hands were placed behind my back.”

Mr Alexander said it was the second time in eight years he had been mistaken for a criminal.

He added: “My son was taken into another room while officers carried out a search of the premises. They went into every room.

“As they searched the flat I heard the sergeant outside on the radio.

“I heard him saying I didn’t match the description of who they were looking for.

“From around 11.50pm to 12.20am I was sitting in my living room with my hands i n cuffs behind my back.

“As the realisation kicked in that I wasn’t who they were looking for, some of the officers left.

“The final three police officers left without so much as an apology.

“Drew didn’t show it but he was shaken by what happened.

“I’m still considering my options with regards to taking legal action over the incident.”

A police spokeswoman said: “Police Scotland sincerely regrets any distress caused to Mr Alexander and his family as a result of this incident.

“A full inquiry into how this happened has been undertaken and Mr Alexander has been issued with an apology.

“The inquiry has led to a review of our systems to seek to ensure that there is no repeat.”