THREE police officers were sent to search a house for a criminal who had already been sent to prison.

Sam Lowe, 21, of Sneinton, was jailed for three years and three months after he sent 160 text messages encouraging people to take part in rioting in Sneinton in August last year.

While on bail awaiting sentence, he had been made to wear an electronic tag on his ankle. This was intended to make sure he was at home between 7pm and 7am each day.

But the sensor box which detected Lowe's tag to make sure he was nearby was left at his home after he was taken to Nottingham prison on Friday.

It then activated and sparked an alert at security company G4S.

Lowe lived with his father, Fred, 55, and stepmum Dawn, 41, at their home in Keswick Court before he was jailed for encouraging violent disorder by urging "girls, grannys, mums, dads, lads, grandads" to gather and "kick off" in Sneinton.

His father said: "The phone on the tagging box kept on ringing and when we answered, they wanted to know where Sam was and why he was breaking his bail.

"We just let the box ring on Saturday.

"But by Sunday, we answered and told the person on the other end of the line, who works for G4S, that he'd been sent to prison."

Despite Mr Lowe's explanation, G4S phoned again on Sunday evening and then alerted Notts Police.

Three officers arrived at the home at 10.50pm that night and searched the premises in a bid to find Sam.

"It's a joke. They searched the house for Sam and I kept on saying 'he's in prison'," Mr Lowe said.

"I had to show them the news story online about my son, and then they were gobsmacked.

"The tag box had kept ringing, but we were trying to put the whole matter behind us."

Notts Police has since apologised.

Inspector Terry Smith, of the Offender Management team, said: "We are sorry Sam Lowe's family were disturbed by our officers so late on a Sunday evening.

"We are currently looking into the reasons why the tagging box remained at the address following Friday's sentencing and will update Sam Lowe's family with our findings.

"We will also liaise with the security company to ensure the tagging box is promptly removed from the premises."

A spokesman for G4S said: "This situation is reflective of all other cases.

"Until we receive official notification, we continue monitoring a person who has an electronic monitoring order. We take appropriate breach action if they do not return home during curfew hours, which in this instance was to notify the police."