Man pretended to be police and pulled a woman over

[WomenMatterToo]

www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/24419143.man-sentenced-pretending-police-officer-corsham/

This happened near me - I'm really shocked that he only received a suspended sentence 😞

No, no, no. Men never pretend to be something they're not. It never happens.

That’s horrendous after Sarah Everard especially

"Officers found an LED lightbar, handcuffs and a baseball bat in his car."

😮 and only a suspended sentence???

A reminder of two disgraceful comments made shortly after Sarah Everard's murder:

Scotland Yard told women they needed to "flag down a bus" if approached by an officer they did not trust.

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner told women to be more "streetwise" and educate themselves about powers of arrest, saying they should know "when they can be arrested and when they can't be arrested".

But there is no way my mum, MIL or young niece would ever challenge police authority in this way. Police forces have clearly learnt absolutely nothing from the Sarah Everard case.

Terrifying.

Yes of course, we need to be more streetwise because obviously if we were this would stop all these arseholes getting away with it 🙄 fucking hell, how can women in 2024 be more unsafe than ever?

I’m sure this happened to a woman on here. A man in a car tried to flag her over on the motorway waving a badge but she did t stop. She reported it and the police fudged the whole investigation and it ended with them having a word with the guy and that was that.
He had a contractor badge that he had been given during previous work with the police and had failed to surrender.

These men are clearly would be murderers. Terrifying.

You're absolutely right, it was only a couple of months ago. Looks like that scumbag C***s (I can't bear to type his name) gave lots of men the same idea.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5070092-fake-police-officer-ordered-woman-to-stop-on-motorway-no-action?reply=135086310

I do hope Jess Phillips, the new minister to focus on tackling violence against women and girls and domestic violence, is aware of these crimes. And the sentences for them.

Yes I remember this too. Gave both my DDs a lecture about not stopping for the police at night in this type of situation, but drive to a police station.

Yeah, I mean, it takes a woman to be murdered for the police to care...

We had this in my area. Guy got off on his fake blue flashing lights at night, would stop women (and only women), pull out his fake badge and "give them a telling off/lecture" for 20 mins by the roadside, threaten them with arrest etc. He only got caught when two seperate women came forward with suspicions after the whole Sarah horror (and the police only then decided to actually make an effort to find the guy).

Scary. He was a long way from home if he lives in Peterborough.

He had handcuffs and a baseball bat in his car and left when he saw she had a child with her.

You don't need to be a genius to work out what he intended to do to her.

This has made me feel a bit sick. Suspended sentence, are you having a fucking laugh?! I would estimate the chances of him not reoffending at about zero. WHY are women still having to fight for our safety like this??

Peterborough?! Shit that’s close to me too. Why is he not getting a proper punishment.

Edit:- sorry just read it properly. Corsham not Peterborough, but the fact he lives there is scary anyway

I experienced a similar thing about 20 years ago.
Coming home from a late shift about 11pm, a car driving close behind me, then to the side of me. I carried on for a few miles before pulling over to let them past.
They pulled up behind me, one of the two men from the car approached my window, I opened it an inch, and proceeded to tell me I had gone through a red light, which I hadn't.
Asked me to get out of the car, I refused and said they can follow me to the police station or back to my work (as special branch were based there).

He said there was no need, just be more alert in future.
I reported it but the reg number of the car was false so not much else could be done.
The guy looked legit, vest, white shirt etc. Good job I was a gobby cow in my youth and took no shit.

...and this did happen, because it happened to me, back in the 90's:

I was contracted to window dress a duty free outlet.
A few people interupted me ' can you tell me where etc.. ' Fine, it goes with the job, people think I am staff, I help if I can. A couple of men my age were very chatty, thought nothing of it. I was in again two days later.
The manager told me that the police had been in asking for me, and had requested my name and address. He was only able to give them my phone number and name.
The manager was very cagey about arranging the next contract with me, and in fact never did. I kept getting the side eye from the staff.

I was totally bemused, and a little worried, then that weekend I had a phone call - the guy explained who he was - one of the chatty men, and asked me out.

He had left the area he was suposed to be working, driven down to the outlet, used his ID to get through customs etc and to gain information about me, which he then used to ask me out.
Aren't our police wonderful. So resourceful.

This is ridiculous. There needs to be another charge available after all there is for theft. Presumably if he had a knife, machete he'd have been charged.
Impersonating a police officer here is a means to committing a serious offence

Going equipped is an offence defined by section 25 of the Theft Act 1968. If you accused of going equipped, the Prosecution must show that you: Had a tool or other article in your possession, That tool was intended for use in the course of a burglary or theft, and.

Words fail me
This is so appalling and it will carry on unless something is done to address it

According to the BBC report, he said that he was working for an undercover unit called "The Brotherhood".

I would love to know if the new prison minster agrees with the sentence handed down.

Man who impersonated police officer in Wiltshire sentenced - BBC News

The pervert who has just been found guilty of attempting to kidnap Holly Willoughby got a suspended sentence for his first offences too- which were both attempts to kidnap women off a train by threatening them with a weapon.

these men will always escalate, he clearly had it in mind to do this lady great harm, and Wayne Couzens did exactly the same thing.

Yep.

I can't even find the words. Is it OK until they actually use the weapons, then?

Who made the decision to try at the Magistrstes court. Is this about prison overcrowding?
Impersonating a police officer:
In the magistrates' court the maximum penalty is six months' imprisonment and/or a fine to the statutory maximum. In the Crown Court the maximum penalty is five years' imprisonment and/or a fine.