security guard vehicle search and law

[dromerango]

I have just got back from a festival . during the festival we had our live in vehicle searched by security without us present and without our consent, we were parked back staged . I got back to find they had gone through our van , which is our full time home and removed a glass bottle of cordial which was for our 16 month old son .      Does anyone know what the law is concerning this . They had the organisers permission , as they were apparentley looking for booze that was being drunk by underage kids that were in the fenced of section next to us .   

[eFestivals]

I'd say you need to see the event's full terms and conditions of entry, as you agree to those by entering the site.  If the T&Cs say your vehicle might be searched by security then (at a basic level) the festival did what was allowed. 

However, if security had to force entry, or because you weren't present, it might not be at that basic level (I'm not sure if there's any differences in those circumstances).

I believe that in law a live-in vehicle classes as (just) a vehicle and not as a home, and is subject to vehicle law and not house/home law in regard to a copper's right to enter and search it (I'm 99.9% sure it was like that 20 years ago, and I don't believe it's changed) - so that probably applies as a generality for festival security's right to do it too (if it's also covered in the festival's T&Cs).

If you want to follow it up you probably need specialist advice for live-in vehicles, so these might be the people to ask:-

http://www.communitylawpartnership.co.uk/our-services/gypsies-and-travellers