The Met Police has had a sharp rap across the knuckles delivered by a member of The House of Lords, after it emerged the force scrambled a helicopter and armed response unit on Saturday to attend an incident where someone was sunbathing on a bench in London’s Green Park.

Speaking to reporters the former Senior Judge said: ‘Police response was ludicrous both in its scale and cost to the public purse. A simple word in the gentleman’s ear was all that was required. I am concerned this new emergency legislation has already given some the hope Britain may yet be turned into a police state.’

However the officer responsible for the incident, Police Community Support Officer and benefit fraud investigator Colin Jones said. “I assessed the situation and it was the correct action.”

‘When he saw “PCSO” on the back of my jacket the man became aggressive, told me to piss off and called me a jumped-up interfering jobsworth then started to laugh at me.’

‘Well he’s not laughing now. Not after the response team took him down – none too gently I might add. And I don’t care what anyone says, I’d do the same thing all over again.’

A police colleague working form the same station and who knows Jones said: ‘He’s just a sad little man who’s never had an ounce of respect from anyone in his life, but now with a uniform and this emergency legislation the idiot is drunk on power. None of the lads on the shift will sit with him in the canteen at break time.’