Caught on camera: 'Power-crazed' traffic warden feigning injury after pretending he had been run over by a motorist during row over a ticket



Karl Crompton, 43, caught out when CCTV showed incident never happened

Judge says: 'The power of being a traffic warden has gone to your head'

He is jailed for four months at Shrewsbury Crown Court



Traffic wardens may have to wear cameras to film interactions with motorists



This is the moment a lying traffic warden feigned injury after pretending to be be hit by a motorist's car following a row over a parking ticket.

Karl Crompton, 43, was jailed today after attempting to press charges against driver Edward Phipps.

He was caught out when officers reviewed CCTV footage of the incident in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, and discovered that the worker had not been hit.

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Lie: Karl Crompton can be seen stood in front of the car moments before Edward Phipps drove off - and didn't hit him Invention: The car can be seen driving off with Crompton stood in front - but the vehicle does not hit him

Then gone: The traffic warden can be seen stood in the road after Edward Phipps has driven off and is unhurt

Collapse: Bizarrely, he then feigns injury at the roadside and pretends he was hurt

In the video, Mr Phipps' car clearly misses the traffic warden by at least two feet. But moments later Crompton can then be seen slumped on the floor grabbing his leg.



He has now been stripped of his uniform and is starting a jail sentence after a jury heard the power he wielded as a traffic warden ‘went to his head’ and he told police ‘a number of lies’ to frame the innocent driver.

Jailed: Traffic warden Karl Crompton who falsely claimed that he had been run over by driver Edward Phipps

Crompton argued with Mr Phipps on October 12 last year after he gave him a ticket for parking in a disabled bay on a high street in Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

The driver was furious because he claimed he has just briefly stopped his Volkswagen Passat outside a pub to pick up a friend.

He spotted the parking warden putting a ticket on his car while inside the Jewel of the Severn pub and rushed outside to confront him.

Crompton, 43, from Telford, later told police Mr Phipps had rammed his knees with his car, causing him to roll across the bonnet.

Police suspicions were raised, however, after they interviewed the driver, who totally denied the allegations.

When they reviewed CCTV footage they instead charged Crompton with attempting to pervert the course of justice.

After the jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court were shown the CCTV evidence during the four day trial, they found Crompton guilty of the charge last month.

Mr Robert Edwards, prosecuting, said the defendant told police a ‘number of lies’.

Addressing Crompton, he added: ‘Mr Phipps said a few words to you, so as revenge you lied to the police that he ran you over. The power of being a traffic warden had gone to your head.

‘You've been spinning a tissue of lies just to get one over on Mr Phipps.’

Crompton maintained his story was true, claiming he must have been hit during a two second gap in the CCTV footage.

He said photographs taken of his leg did not show the true extent of his injuries.

‘I don't think anything showed up because the flash was on. But my leg still hurt three weeks later,’ he added.

Yesterday, the traffic warden was jailed for four months for the plot to frame the driver.

He has been banned from going on patrol and faces and internal investigation from Shropshire Council.

As a result of the case, traffic wardens in Shropshire could be made to wear tiny camera badges to record how they interact with motorists.

False claim: Crompton claimed he was run over here in Bridgnoth, Shropshire and told officers Mr Phipps had rammed his knees with his car, causing him to roll across the bonnet

Paul McGreary, group manager of public protection and enforcement at Shropshire Council, said: ‘Mr Crompton is not currently on patrol as a civil enforcement officer and an internal investigation will now take place in accordance with the council’s disciplinary procedures.

‘As unfortunate as this case was, it does highlight the pressures that civil enforcement officers can be under while they carry out their duties. We have an expectation that our civil enforcement officers act with the upmost integrity and honesty.

‘This was a very unusual situation and we are confident it was an isolated case. All officers are fully trained and supported to do their job to the best of their ability.’