Police with truncheons burst into his Warwick home.

The officers left after about five minutes without explanation, it is claimed.

Now the man, who was in the South Shore property with his four-year-old daughter, has demanded an apology.

"I awoke to find Police -- not Santa Claus -- in my home,'' he said yesterday.

"They invaded my privacy, and now I would like an explanation from them. I will be contacting my lawyer.'' Police, however, have strongly defended their actions.

"We received a report from a woman that a child was taken away by her ex-boyfriend, and naturally we had to respond,'' said Police spokeswoman Insp.

Roseanda Jones.

"The woman had expressed fears and concerns for the safety of her daughter.'' Insp. Jones said Police had received the complaint at about 1 a.m.

She added officers had problems getting into the property, and were let in by the landlord.

"They found the child appeared to be safe and in no danger, and they left.'' Insp. Jones said the man was fully aware of the reason for the Police's action.

The man told The Royal Gazette he had taken his daughter home from his ex-girlfriend's property in the early hours of Christmas Day.

"Upon going home I saw Police cars all around my yard. I didn't know why they were there, and I don't think the Police at that time knew who I was.

"I went into my home and went to bed. I was under the covers when the Police entered with flashlights and woke me up.

"I was very upset, and started yelling and screaming at them, telling them to get out of my house.

"There must have been five, six, seven or eight officers, some in plain clothes, the others uniformed. They were in my home for five or six minutes.'' The man -- who does not want to be named -- understood the Police had been on verge of breaking down his front door with a mallet.

"They were let in by my landlord who lives above,'' he said.

He added: "While they didn't do any damage, they did invade my privacy. It was harassment.'' The man said he would be lodging an official complaint with Police today.

Insp. Jones, however, said the Police had acted correctly under the circumstances.

"It is unfortunate the two parties are using the Police and the Press to sort out their domestic situation.

"If the Police receive any complaints of this nature where a child is said to be at risk we have a responsibility to make sure the child is safe.''