- Martin Goodall, from Poole, was a particular constable for simply six months in 1996
A ‘vigilante’ motorist who posed as a visitors cop, put blue lights on his automobile and hunted dashing drivers has been convicted of impersonating a police officer after he was pulled over by an actual particular constable.
Martin Goodall, 51, has been discovered responsible following a collection of bogus visitors stops in his dwelling city of Poole, Dorset.
Goodall, who was a particular constable for just some months in 1996 earlier than quitting the position, wearing darkish fight trousers, a darkish prime with badges on and hung a police-themed lanyard round his neck as he toured the county.
He fastened a blue strobe mild to the dashboard of his white Vauxhall van and went on the lookout for motorists breaking the regulation, earlier than claiming he had made an oath to the monarchy which entitled him to proceed finishing up his duties.
Using the flashing lights, Goodall repeatedly pulled over drivers he believed had been dashing. He additionally stopped one for operating a purple mild and one other for having an obscured quantity plate.
Martin Goodall (left) repeatedly pulled over drivers in Poole whereas claiming to be a particular constable
After he was stopped by police, the 51-year-old turned up at a police station in Bournemouth and demanded to interview the Sergeant who had spoken to him
On every event he spoke to the motorist on the roadside, telling them he was a sworn particular constable and giving them a lecture in regards to the Highway Code.
Goodall even wrote contemporaneous notes in a pocket pocket book stating the date, time and site of the cease, the character of the ‘offence’ and the motion taken.
But his actions got here to mild in February this 12 months when he was pulled over by a reliable visitors officer who was conscious of a report of a person becoming Goodall’s description impersonating a police officer.
It associated to an incident on January 25, 2022, when Goodall stopped motorist Paul Geeson on Gravel Hill, Poole, as a result of the licence plate on his Toyota Corolla was partially hidden by dust.
Sergeant Steven Payne seized gadgets from Goodall’s van together with the strobe lights and requested him to attend a voluntary interview at a later date.
But in a weird twist the court docket heard that Goodall then went to Bournemouth police station the place he recognized himself as an officer and requested to interview Sgt Payne and for an interview room to be put aside for them.
And regardless of being beneath investigation, Goodall carried on stopping motorists.
On May 20 he activated his substitute strobe lights and pursued a black hatchback he stated was ‘hammering it’ in a 20mph zone on Lower Blandford Road, Poole.
His actions got here to mild in February this 12 months when he was pulled over by a reliable visitors officer who was conscious of a report of a person becoming Goodall’s description impersonating a police officer
Goodall even stored a pocket book with particulars of drivers’ alleged ‘offences’ and the motion he took
Goodall instructed magistrates: ‘I made a decision to pursue the automobile and I activated my lights, which I bought from the Home Office Police and Security Exhibition in Farnborough in 2022, to cease the automobile.
‘I spoke to the motive force and he admitted he was doing 35mph to 40mph in a 20mph zone.’
But at that second a real off-duty particular constable drove previous Goodall’s van and thought the flashing lights appeared incorrect so stopped.
SPC Robert Armadi requested Goodall if he was a warranted police officer after which known as 999 when he realised he was impersonating an officer.
A court docket heard that Goodall had been a particular constable for Dorset Police for six months in 1996.
Magistrates in Poole heard proof from a policing supervisor for Dorset Police who stated particular constables surrender their police powers once they depart the service.
But Goodall believed the oath he swore to the crown in 1996 nonetheless utilized 27 years later. He stated: ‘I swore my oath to the Crown and I didn’t relinquish my oath.’
Jason Spelman, prosecuting, stated that Goodall had ‘ordained himself’ as a sworn particular constable by reaffirming his oath after Charles III grew to become King.
He stated that this had no authorized standing in any way and was one thing that Goodall had created.
Mr Spelman put to Goodall: ‘You check with your self as a particular constable however you haven’t any police uniform, you get no remuneration from the police.
‘You simply go round making notes and stopping individuals as you see match since you suppose you may have the powers of a police officer.’
Goodall, from Poole, denied 13 offences of impersonating a police officer in Bournemouth, Poole and Wimborne and utilizing a automobile fitted with a blue warning beacon.
He was discovered responsible by District Judge Orla Austin who stated: ‘It is evident to me that he left (the police) in December 1996 and from that time his powers to behave as a particular constable ceased.
‘Any subsequent identification as a particular constable was an act calculated to counsel that he was and that was false. Similarly he was not entitled to light up his automobile with blue lights and that’s an offence.’
She adjourned sentencing for studies and Goodall is because of seem in court docket later this month.