disgruntled_bear Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 A FORMER soldier hailed a hero after rescuing a policeman from rioting football fans has been given a suspended jail sentence for impersonating a cop. Manchester magistrates had found jobless Tom Bardsley guilty of posing as a Ministry of Defence police officer to avoid paying for a train ticket. He hit the headlines when he said he pulled a policeman away from a baying mob of Glasgow Rangers fans when riots erupted in the city last May. Bardsley, 24, said he feared Pc Mick Regan was 'not going to make it', describing the fans as like a 'pack of wolves who had not been fed for days'. He said he pushed the fans away and then dragged Pc Regan away to a police van. Lenient When he appeared in court for sentence, his lawyer Matthew Wallace asked magistrates to be lenient with his client - a 'bona fide hero' whose bravery had been well documented. At his earlier trial, he was described as a 'fantasist' after it was said he lied to explain why he did not have a train ticket for a trip between Birmingham and Manchester last September. The dad-of-one, of Fairhope Court, Salford, first claimed to be a British Transport Police officer, then said he was an MoD officer going to staff the Labour Conference in Manchester. He was given six months, suspended for two years, and must do 270 hours unpaid work and pay £350 costs. Bench chairman Vanessa Goldstone said his offence was aggravated by the fact that he had been part-way through an 18-month community order imposed for theft. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/new...ero_spared_jail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DadoPrso9 Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 hopefully they will uncover some more lies about Manchester then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibroxblue Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 It's hard not to suspect he's a Walter Mitty character: Unemployed Bardsley was arrested in October and found guilty of impersonating a police officer at Manchester Magistrates' Court last week following a trial. At the time of the offence Bardsley was already serving an 18 month community service sentence for theft. Appearing at Manchester Magistrates' Court wearing a regimental blazer, military badges and a bandana, he was given a six month prison sentence, suspended for two years. At the time of the rescue, Bardsley, 24, from Salford, Greater Manchester, said he feared Pc Regan was "not going to make it", describing the Rangers fans as like a "pack of wolves who had not been fed for days". Matthew Wallace, defending, told magistrates publicity surrounding the case had forced the defendant to leave his home and he was now living with friends and had no fixed address. He added: "Something that has to be remembered is that he's a bona fide hero following what happened in the final between Rangers and Zenig St Petersburg." Passing sentence Vanessa Goldstone, chairman of the bench, handed down the suspended sentence and ordered him to do 270 hours community service. Sparing him jail, Ms Goldstone added: "We think this is a real chance for you before your offending gets worse and worse. We are giving you a chance, an opportunity to get your life back on track. "The crime of impersonating a police officer is a serious one. "It was also aggravated by the fact that the Labour Party conference was being held here in Manchester at that time and resources were already stretched and someone impersonating a police officer created a further security risk in our judgment." Bardsley must also pay £350 court costs. On the same night as helping the police officer during the football riots, Bardsley also said he had rescued a man from a canal in Manchester. Bardsley faces a further charge, unconnected to the night of the Rangers riots, of wasting police time in connection with police receiving a report of a man being rescued from a canal. He will be back in court for that case to be heard in April. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegal...ain-ticket.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brissybear Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Regardless of this mans character, the "fans' during that incident made me sick to my stomach and if anyone on here thinks that, somehow even that incident was blown out of proportion, is a defiant fool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermopylae Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Always seemed like a bit of a Walter Mitty character ... I mean these 2 statements don't quite go together "the fans were like a 'pack of wolves who had not been fed for days" and "he said he pushed the fans away" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLUEDIGNITY Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Some massive cover up going on in that Manchester police, stinks to high heaven. Hopefully it is revealed and the primed over reaction of the police on the day is condemned and the good name of the Rangers support is cleared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andypendek Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Always seemed like a bit of a Walter Mitty character ... I mean these 2 statements don't quite go together "the fans were like a 'pack of wolves who had not been fed for days" and "he said he pushed the fans away" Fairly tame wolves, wouldn't you say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralCartmanLee Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Always seemed like a bit of a Walter Mitty character ... I mean these 2 statements don't quite go together "the fans were like a 'pack of wolves who had not been fed for days" and "he said he pushed the fans away" Exactly what sprung to mind when i read his rubbish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVB Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 What happenened in Manchester? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLUEDIGNITY Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 What happenened in Manchester? Well when you come to think about it fcuk all really ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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