A MAN who admitted posing as a police officer and driving with a flashing blue light fitted in his car was yesterday told he could be jailed.

Didcot Magistrates’ Court heard 30-year-old Anthony James, of Laburnum Road, Botley, Oxford, used a blue light fitted on his car to slow down passing motorists in three separate incidents in Oxfordshire last December.

In an incident in Abingdon, he pulled over a woman, told her she was driving dangerously and demanded to see her driving licence before following her to her home.

Presiding magistrate David Simmons said: “At this stage, we’re not ruling out any of the possible sentences. This includes the possibility of custody or a sentence in the community.”

Stephen Parker, defending, said that James, a labourer and former member of the armed forces, had struggled to explain his conduct during the incidents and acknowledged it was not normal behaviour.

Clare Barclay, prosecuting, said on December 29 Claire Lenieswski was driving through Shippon, on the outskirts of Abingdon, at 10.30pm with two passengers.

Mrs Barclay said: “A red Peugeot 406 followed her and illuminated a blue light and she assumed it was an unmarked police vehicle and she pulled over.

“He was asking her questions about her driving. He said she was driving too dangerously and asked to see her driving licence.

“He gave it back and asked her further questions and asked if she had been drinking.”

After she had driven off, Mrs Barclay said James, a father-of-four, followed her to Peachcroft, where she parked outside a neighbour’s house.

She said: “He approached her on foot and spoke to her and said he was still not happy with her driving.”

MrsBarclay said Ms Lenieswski had felt unnerved and harassed.

On December 14, Mrs Barclay said motorist Margaret Flint tried to overtake James’s car on the A40 between Witney and Burford. He turned on his blue light and forced her to pull in behind him.

Mrs Barclay added: “She watched him do the same thing to six or seven other vehicles.

“She said the driver was trying to look as if he had some authority.”

In an incident on the M40, James was seen behaving in a similar fashion towards a van driver.

Mrs Barclay said a witness did not believe the driver of the red Peugeot was a genuine police officer.

James disputed the prosecution’s version of events in two of the seven incidents he was charged over, but the magistrates decided they were not major details and would not affect the sentence.

James was charged with using a vehicle with a blue warning light, impersonating a police officer, harassment without violence and making a statement suggesting he was a police constable.

He was granted bail until he is sentenced on April 3.

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