A LLANELLI mother has been left outraged after her 18-year-old son was stopped and searched by police a seventh time in two months.

Theressa Bowen, of Lewis Crescent, Bryn, said she was angry to find out that Thomas Walsh — the second eldest of her five sons, — had been searched for drugs seven times.

The 44-year-old said that her son had been walking home from a friend's house on Tuesday evening when he was stopped.

Dyfed-Powys Police were unable to confirm the searches had taken place, but a spokeswoman said that, if justified, they would search people for drugs.

Ms Bowen, who works as a volunteer, said: "He is only 18, and he is a young 18, and I want him home before 10.

"It was 10.10pm when I called him to see where he was, and it happened at around 10.15pm. He was coming home and he was stopped and searched by policemen near the Llwynhendy Police Station.

"They asked him, do you take drugs, do you sell drugs, do you have drugs on you?

"It is the seventh time he has been stopped in two months.

"It is disgusting."

Ms Bowen said he was stopped in the same area of Llanelli each time.

"He was stopped and searched seven times all together and all in Llwynhendy," she said.

"They probably know who he is because he does a lot with Communities First.

"If it had been in different areas, it would have been different policemen, but it was all in the same area.

"He was quite upset, and angry as well.

"At the end of the day, it isn't fair on him.

"I can understand that they do have to stop people, but the police are sending the wrong signals to children.

"They are stopping innocent kids.

"They are thinking, if they don't have respect for us, why should we respect them?" Ms Bowen she and her family were against drugs.

She added: "I am anti-drugs, and my kids are too.

"I am also strict with alcohol.

"I hope the police don't do it again, because, if they do, I will be taking it a lot further.

"It just seems wrong."

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokeswoman said: "An Inspector has already been made aware of this.

"The public expects us to tackle drugs and officers work proactively in all areas to do so.

"We work within the guidelines and we will stop and, if justified, search people for drugs.

"Llwynhendy police have had a number of recent successes in recovering drugs from warrants and the proactive checks that we conduct.

"It is not appropriate to comment further on individual cases."

gill.roberts@swwmedia.co.uk