Man convicted of impersonating police officer after pulling woman over in country lane

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A security guard flashed fake blue lights at a woman he pulled over in a country lane while impersonating a police officer, a court heard.

Chris Green told his victim he was part of a local undercover crime unit called “The Brotherhood”, before letting her go upon spotting a child in the car.

Police later discovered handcuffs and a baseball bat in his car.

Green, 32, of Nero Place in Peterborough, was convicted of impersonating a police officer following a trial at Swindon Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard how Green was driving at 30mph in a 60mph zone when the victim overtook his car in Wiltshire in May last year.

He then overtook the victim and stopped her, telling her that she had been “driving dangerously”.

When challenged, Green told the victim that he worked for law enforcement, but was unable to provide the victim with a badge number.

The court heard the woman had recorded Green’s number plate, which allowed police to trace him.

Later, officers found a blue LED light inside his car, as well as police-style handcuffs, a dash cam and a baseball bat.

Green accepted that he illuminated the blue lights, however, he denied impersonating a police officer. He will be sentenced on June 28.

Sibylle Cheruvier, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “This was a wholly unnerving incident for the victim involved who was in a vulnerable position as a lone female driver.

“I commend the victim for keeping her wits about her and recording Green’s number plate, through which police were able to locate him shortly after.

“Impersonation of a police officer is clearly a cause of concern for the community, and we are pleased that the court has seen through Green’s deception.

“I am very grateful to the victim for her support throughout this case, without which we would not have been able to prove Green’s intentions.”

The conviction comes just days after it emerged a woman was allegedly ordered to stop on the M1 by a man posing as a police officer. The woman reported the matter to the police, which was unable to deal with criminally after “poor service” meant the time limit to prosecute had passed.

The man denied the allegations.

The woman said she feared the case bore a resemblance to that of Wayne Couzens, who used his police warrant card to falsely arrest Sarah Everard, before raping and murdering her.