Man impersonates police officer to sneak inside festival

A court has heard how a music fan carried out real police work while pretending to be an officer in an attempt to sneak into the Isle of Wight festival.

Paramedic Daniel Tredinnick was so desperate to watch his favourite band ‘Kasabian’ play that he broke into a police car, stole a bag containing a female officer’s uniform and played dress-up.

The court in the Isle of Wight was also told how Mr Tredinnick broke up a fight between festival-goers, helped find a missing woman and even liaised with fellow officers.

The man from Shanklin then assisted other paramedics while they treated an injured person as ‘Kasabian’ closed the festival on 12 June.

Despite all these duties, Mr Tredinnick was slapped with a 16-week suspended sentence yesterday for stealing a police uniform and impersonating an officer.

His phony identity was exposed after an on-duty security guard demanded to see his ID because he wasn’t wearing a hat or tie. After failing to provide a valid detective sergeant’s badge, he was arrested.

Solicitor Keith Verrinder, defending, is reported to have said that Mr Tredinnick had been quite useful during the two-and-a-half-hour deception.

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“It could be said he did no particular harm while dressed as a police officer. Strangely enough, he did more good than harm. He says now it was a very stupid thing to do.”

“He felt it was childish and quite ridiculous but it seemed like a good idea at the time.”