Driver admits fake police car charge
- Published
A driver activated blue flashing lights in his car identical to those used by police, forcing another motorist to pull over, a court has heard.
Dawid Weclawik, who was wearing a high visibility jacket, then pulled alongside motorist Blair Shaw and shouted at him before driving away.
Weclawik, 30, admitted a charge of impersonating a police officer on 28 June on Dundee's Coupar Angus Road.
He will be sentenced at Dundee Sheriff Court in September.
The court was told that a lighting unit discovered in Weclawik's car was found to be able to perform the same lighting patterns as official police equipment.
Depute fiscal Alan Kempton said that Weclawik appeared suddenly behind Mr Shaw's car after midnight.
Mr Kempton said: "The complainer saw the accused's vehicle approach behind his vehicle very quickly.
"The accused then travelled very close to the complainer's car, causing him to slow down and put on hazard lights.
"The complainer then saw blue and red flashing lights illuminated from the accused's vehicle, which continued to travel closely behind."
Lighting unit
Mr Shaw and his passenger both believed they were being followed by police and pulled over.
Weclawik then pulled alongside and shouted something "unclear" at them, before driving off, causing Mr Shaw to phone the police.
The 20-year-old then saw Weclawik park and challenged him, asking if he was a real police officer.
Weclawik said he didn't speak English and walked off.
Police arrived and found the lighting unit attached to the bottom of Weclawik's windscreen with suction cups.
Defence solicitor Alexandra Short said Weclawik's hi-visibility jacket was not an attempt to look like an officer but merely something he was required to wear for his work at a chicken factory in Cupar.
She said: "He says he was agitated by the people driving in front of him and he put on the lights to overtake.
"He admits he did know what he was doing and is aware he shouldn't be doing it."
Sentence was deferred for social work background reports and Weclawik was ordered to forfeit the lighting unit.