Police impersonator avoids jail

Kelvin Swann - who was previously been convicted of impersonating a police sergeant - lost the plot in Dundee’s Camperdown Street in a bizarre incident.

Takeaway driver Angel Tiklarov had turned off the main road into Dundee’s Camperdown Street - a retail area lined on both sides with parking spaces.

He came across two pedestrians standing in the road and stopped to avoid a collision.

But Swann - who had followed him in to the street - began to remonstrate with Mr Tiklarov and shouted at him out of his car window.

Fiscal depute Joanne Smith told Dundee Sheriff Court that Mr Tiklarov then parked and got out of his vehicle to talk to Swann

She said: “The accused had initially sounded horn due to having to stop.

“The accused has then pulled up in front of him to remonstrate with the complainer.

“Mr Tiklarov then got out to speak with the accused who continued to remonstrate with him about stopping for the pedestrians.

“As the complainer started to walk away from the driver’s door the accused put the car in to gear and moved forwards.

“This is captured on CCTV and he can be seen delivering a glancing blow to the complainer’s leg.”

Swann (54) of St Andrews, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault committed on July 16 last year.

Defence solicitor Alan Davie said: “He recognises he has a record.”

Sheriff George Way imposed a community payback order with 18 months supervision and 130 hours unpaid work in the community.

He said: “His record does him no credit in terms of losing his temper.

“There are several convictions.

“This is him using his car as an expression of his temper.”

Swann was previously convicted of masquerading as a police officer when he pulled a woman over in St Andrews as she drove her 12-year-old daughter to school in November 2012.

He pulled up alongside her car and accused her of committing five separate crimes in the space of minutes before pretending to call the station for backup.

When they got out of their cars to discuss the incident on the pavement the woman put her hand on his forearm to calm him down as he “angrily” ranted at her.

That prompted Swann to accuse her of assaulting a police officer.

When real police officers caught up with Swann he said: “How could I be a policeman? I’m five foot one.”