Mother held for five hours and DNA tested for refusing to give children their ball back to teach them a lesson

A mother spoke of her disbelief today after she was arrested and held at a police station for five hours for refusing to return a cricket ball which she claimed had damaged her car.
Lorretta Cole says she was trying to teach her neighbours' children a lesson after the ball repeatedly landed on her property.
She retrieved the £3.99 ball from the front of her home in North Baddesley, Hampshire, and refused to give it back when the father of the children asked her to.
Mrs Cole, 47, was then visited on three occasions by police who tried to persuade her to return the ball and warned her that she faced being arrested if she refused.
She was interviewed at Lyndhurst police station and was detained for five hours while she was questioned and had her photograph, DNA swab and fingerprints taken.
Following the interview, Mrs Cole was bailed to return to the police station on August 3 pending advice from the Crown Prosecution Service.
'I couldn't believe it,' she said afterwards. 'I asked the police if I gave the ball back, could I be given a reassurance that they speak to the parents. I wasn't given an assurance and it was left at that.'
A Hampshire police spokeswoman said officers visited Mrs Cole three times in a bid to have the ball returned but on each occasion she was 'obstructive' and refused.
She added: 'Mrs Cole was made aware that the incident would have to be treated as theft if she continued to keep the ball but that it would be much better for all involved if it could be dealt with by way of a commonsense approach.
'After continuing to refuse to return the ball the suspect was arrested and the ball was seized by police as evidence.
'Mrs Cole was given the opportunity to return the ball a number of times and if this had happened no further action would have been taken. However she left the officers attending with no alternative choice but to take action.'
The spokeswoman added that the length of time at the police station was prolonged while officers waited for Mrs Cole to arrange for a solicitor to be present.
She also said it is police policy for DNA swabs, fingerprints and a photograph to be taken when someone is arrested.
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