Two pensioners who were pursued by a pair of undercover dog wardens say they have been left traumatised by the encounter. The two men wearing grey hoodies followed the pensioners across a field, out of a park, to a cafe and even laid in wait outside the women's toilets.
The men showed the pensioners ID, which the elderly couple say could have been knocked up on a home computer, before demanding their personal details and threatening to call police. The men said they would only leave the pensioners alone if they gave them their names and addresses.
Judy Latimer and Paul Southcombe, both in their 70s, had been walking their dogs one morning last week when they were approached by two men. Paul said they looked more like 'a couple of guys on their way to a football match rather than council employees'
Both men were wearing grey hoodies and baggy trousers. The council has confirmed the pair were employees", PlymouthLive reports.
The plain-clothed officers even followed Judy to the toilet (Image: Judy Latimer)
Paul said: "We're in our 70s and we're told to watch out for scams and I'm very alert to them. Unless I'm very, very sure I just cut off contact."
Judy and Paul decided to leave the area because the men appeared "suspicious". Paul said: "If they were looking to fine us then you'd have thought that they'd be more laid back and steady and calming with people. But they obviously had no training."
Judy said: "We just couldn't believe it, we just couldn't believe it. We left from a different exit so they couldn't track my companion's car but they continued to follow us. They kept telling us, 'All we want is your details and we'll leave you alone' but we paid them no attention, we just kept on walking.
"They were constantly bullying us and telling us they were going to call the police. It was really meant to spook us, it was intimidating."
They tried to lose the men by walking around thengoing to a cafe but the wardens continued to follow, even waiting outside the women's toilets for Judy. "It was quite sinister," said Paul.
"They stood behind our table and everyone was looking wondering what was going on. It was very sinister."
Paul said the presence of the wardens caused him to feel ill with Judy describing him as looking "visibly grey in the face".
"My blood sugar level was extremely high and I wasn't worried I was going to have a heart attack but I was struggling with my breathing," explained Paul. Judy said she tried to explain to the wardens that Paul wasn't feeling well and they were making him worse.
Allegedly, their only response was to smirk and point to their body camera. They then offered to call an ambulance but Paul and Judy said they were just "taunting" them.
Paul and Judy claimed the wardens began telling them how much they were "enjoying" following them. Judy said: "They kept on saying, 'We're not going to stop you we'll follow you wherever and we'll follow you wherever'.
"He also said, 'It's a nice day and I wouldn't mind doing a bit of overtime today'."
The friends made it to a nearby GOP surgery, and the men followed them inside.
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While Paul was receiving treatment a couple of police officers arrived at the surgery. Judy said: "I was sat on the floor with my head in my hands thinking what are we doing but then I looked up to see a police officer and I immediately said, 'Oh, thank God'.
"And he was rational, and friendly and just explained how the police don't get involved in these sorts of disputes. He said, 'That's not our business'."
The police officers requested that the wardens "disappear". Judy said: "This whole experience has really unsettled us. We are both quite frankly traumatised."
A Plymouth City Council spokesperson said: "Following a number of complaints from residents about dog fouling in Dean Cross Park, two plain-clothed enforcement officers visited the park on Tuesday.
"Plain-clothed officers are primarily deployed to enforce dog fouling but if other offences like littering or dog control breaches are witnessed, they are authorised to issue fixed penalty notices.
"While on patrol, the officers spotted two people breaching the dog control Public Spaces Protection Order by allowing their dogs to exercise off the lead on a marked sports pitch. When the couple were approached, they were uncooperative and refused to give their details to the officers.
“We are looking into whether our officers exceeded their remit on this occasion but we will continue to enforce dog control laws on sports pitches.
"Dog fouling is unwanted on all streets and open spaces in Plymouth, but particularly on sports pitches because of the health risks to children and adults who play sports. Keeping dogs on a lead on the pitches ensures the owners notice when their dog has fouled and can pick up straight away."
