A man impersonated a police officer during an expletive-filled rant at the roadside.
Simon Hann-Perkins was handed a caution by Wiltshire Police after admitting his crimes to a prosecutor ahead of his trial at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court today (Wednesday).
The incident unfolded on Seymour Road, Trowbridge, where the 52-year-old approached a van driver and proceeded to shout and swear at him; he claimed the man had overtaken a motorcycle dangerously.
But the biker had pulled over alongside the van to confirm that they were in fact travelling together, and the manoeuvre was planned as the van driver knew the route they were taking.
Alongside numerous expletives, Hann-Perkins was shouting words to the effect of “your driving is f**king dangerous” and “you’re driving like an a**ehole”.
The defendant flashed what appeared to be a leather holder containing a card with a photograph and ‘police’ printed on it. He told the van driver: “That’s my warrant card”, before swiftly putting it away.
Noting that the van driver appeared intimidated by the man, a witness intervened. He told Hann-Perkins to stop swearing because his children were in the car, but he responded: “I don’t give a f**k what you have in the car” before stating that he was an off-duty police officer.
In a statement, the witness wrote: “I am absolutely appalled that someone who stated they were a police officer could conduct themselves in this way.
“His language was absolutely vile, and he was quite frankly nothing but abusive.
“He was completely irate and would not accept that he had mistaken the situation. Despite several attempts by the motorcyclist to explain to him what actually happened, he simply couldn’t be told.
“It was like he saw what he thought he saw, and despite being in the wrong, he was adamant he was right and wouldn’t be told otherwise.”
Supported by his wife in court, the defendant, of Wyke Road, Trowbridge, admitted impersonating a police officer and a public order offence ahead of his trial. The CPS agreed to withdraw the prosecution in favour of a police-issued caution.
A caution becomes spent immediately upon being issued to a person and won’t need to be declared to an employer. However, they will appear on an enhanced DBS check.
NEXT UP: Man held on suspicion of attempted murder after teen shot in Swindon
