Tom Penn, 29, says he wants to put the record straight in wake of furore over loud altercation

The neighbour who contacted the police over a late-night altercation between Tory leadership favourite, Boris Johnson, and his partner, Carrie Symonds, has gone public with his side of the story.

Tom Penn, who has lived at the property in south London for just over a year, said he wanted to put the record straight on his reasons for recording the row and then dialling 999.

Penn, who heard the loud argument, said he only contacted the police as a last resort after knocking three times at the couple’s flat and was concerned over the “bizarre and fictitious allegations” put to him and his wife since news of the incident broke and dominated front pages.

It comes after the Guardian revealed that police were called to the flat Johnson shares with Symonds in the early hours of Friday morning after the neighbour heard a loud altercation involving screaming followed by slamming and banging. On a recording made by the neighbour, Symonds can be heard telling Johnson to “get off me” and “get out of my flat”.

In a statement released on Saturday night, Penn, 29, said: “In the early hours of Friday morning, I answered a phone call from a takeaway food delivery driver. At the same time, I heard what sounded like shouting coming from the street.

“I went downstairs, on the phone to the driver, and collected my food. On the way back into my flat, it became clear that the shouting was coming from a neighbour’s flat. It was loud enough and angry enough that I felt frightened and concerned for the welfare of those involved, so I went inside my own home, closed the door, and pressed record on the voice memos app on my phone.

“After a loud scream and banging, followed by silence, I ran upstairs, and with my wife agreed that we should check on our neighbours. I knocked three times at their front door, but there was no response. I went back upstairs into my flat, and we agreed that we should call the police.

“The police arrived within five minutes. Our call was made anonymously, and no names were given to the police. They subsequently called back to thank us for reporting, and to let us know that nobody was harmed.

“To be clear, the recordings were of the noise within my own home. My sole concern up until this point was the welfare and safety of our neighbours. I hope that anybody would have done the same thing.

“Once clear that no one was harmed, I contacted the Guardian, as I felt it was of important public interest. I believe it is reasonable for someone who is likely to become our next prime minister to be held accountable for all of their words, actions and behaviours.

“I, along with a lot of my neighbours all across London, voted to remain within the EU. That is the extent of my involvement in politics.

“The unpleasant things being said about myself and my partner, and some quite frankly bizarre and fictitious allegations, have been upsetting for not only us, but also for family, friends and fellow Camberwell neighbours, who are currently being harangued by the media. I would ask that you leave private citizens alone and focus instead on those who have chosen to run for power within the public eye.

“The attempts from some areas of the press to instead focus their stories on us, and in particular my wife, have been eye-opening, and very alarming. I would encourage anyone to record any instances where they feel concerned for another person’s safety.”

Scotland Yard said in a statement: “At 00.24 on Friday 21 June, police responded to a call from a local resident in [south London]. The caller was concerned for the welfare of a female neighbour.

“Police attended and spoke to all occupants of the address, who were all safe and well. There were no offences or concerns apparent to the officers and there was no cause for police action.”

Johnson has refused to comment on the incident.