Former cop threatened with arrest for getting revenge on inconsiderate driver

By Matt Johnson

matt.johnson@essnmedia.co.uk

A FORMER policeman was threatened with being arrested for getting his own back on an inconsiderate driver.

Richard Green was blocked in for six hours when a thoughtless woman parked her Vauxhall Tigra right up against the back bumper of his car.

So when his wife returned later in the day he decided to use her car to teach the selfish driver a lesson by blocking her in.

But to his amazement cops then threatened to arrest him for a breach of the peace.

The 40-year-old, from Grange Road, South Croydon, discovered the Tigra was parked up against his Mazda MX6 last Wednesday (September 24) at 10am.

His wife Tara's car was parked in front meaning he was wedged in.

With his wife out and her car keys with her Mr Green called the council and police for help.

But they informed him no offence had been committed, leaving his car stuck.

When his wife returned he took matters into his own hands and moved her car behind the Tigra, tightly blocking it in.

At around 4pm the driver returned to find former Kent police constable Mr Green waiting.

He said: "I told her she could come back in eight hours when I would release her car and promptly went inside to prepare dinner for my daughters.

"I wasn't really going to leave her there eight hours. I just wanted to make a point."

Police then returned Mr Green's initial call and he told them what he had done.

Unimpressed they threatened to arrest him for breaching the peace.

But Mr Green claims this was an unwarranted threat, as a breach of peace has to involve someone or something being harmed, or there being a fear of harm.

Father-of-two Mr Green said: "I was never in danger of being arrested.

"There's no breach of the peace when the two parties involved are in different locations.

"I was in my house, she was in her car, so this wasn't a breach of the peace.

"This is a commonly used threat by police officers when they actually have no powers.

"The way the police work quite often is that they blag."

However, when two police officers then arrived at the scene they too threatened to arrest him for breaching the peace.

But Mr Green continued to stand his ground and eventually got an apology from the motorist who blocked him in.

He said: "She said sorry. I said fine and walked away. I just got in my car and moved it.

"From one adult to another it should have been a lesson learned. And I'm sure she did learn from it."

A police spokeswoman said the driver of the Tigra phoned them in a distressed state and that is why they went to Mr Green's house.

She added: "There is potential there for breach of the peace. She feared some kind of harm.

"The officers were justified in warning him of arrest for breach of the peace."