Bogus cop who stopped lone woman motorist is spared jail
A MOTORIST who impersonated a police officer and threatened a lone woman after forcing her to pull over has walked free from court.
Women’s rights campaigners slammed magistrates yesterday after Kevin Armstrong was given community service.
Morium Akther, 24, was driving to work when Armstrong, 63, drove up next to her with lights flashing from his dashboard and ‘yelling’ at her to stop. He told her ‘we can either do this the nice way or the nasty way’ after claiming she was driving dangerously and would get a speeding ticket.
She was eventually rescued by another motorist who realised Armstrong was impersonating a policeman and scared him off.
Speaking about her ordeal after Armstrong was prosecuted at South Tyneside Magistrates Court, Miss Akther said he became ‘ aggressive’ when she denied speeding.
‘I completely froze,’ she said. ‘I’ve never been pulled over by the police so I didn’t know if this was a normal way for them to behave.
‘He seemed very creepy and his tone was aggressive.’
She drove off as soon as Armstrong left. ‘My whole body was shaking,’ she added. ‘It could have been so much worse. I could have been hurt or killed.’
Miss Akther said the incident near Gateshead made her think of the murder of Sarah Everard, 33, by police officer Wayne Couzens in London in March 2021.
‘I know Couzens was actually a police officer but you never know what someone is capable of,’ she said. ‘ He could have done anything to me. I want women to be aware of people like this on the roads.’ The Good Samaritan who intervened provided dashcam footage that enabled police to investigate.
Armstrong, of Guisborough, North Yorkshire, was found guilty of impersonating a police officer in November. He also admitted other offences relating to stopping a vehicle, causing a danger to a motorist and using a vehicle emitting a flashing light.
He was fined £620, received three points on his licence and ordered to do 120 hours unpaid work. Miss Akther said Armstrong ‘ got off lightly’, adding: ‘ Whenever I see flashing lights I get really scared and think it’s him.
‘I didn’t leave my house for a week after the incident.’
Sharon Bryan, of the National Centre for Domestic Violence, said the sentence was ‘very lenient’, adding: ‘ Whatever thrill he gets from doing this will outweigh the punishment he’s received. Since Sarah Everard’s murder, we have seen more incidents of this sort of stranger danger.
‘The justice system in this country is stacked against victims. Lenient sentencing sends the message that violence against women and girls is not that serious.’
‘Echoes of Sarah Everard murder’