Vigilante justice

[Gob]

An armed robber was caught out when he threatened a group of 'drug dealers' only to find out they were actually undercover police officers.

David Nestoruk was dishing out his own brand of 'street justice' when he used an imitation firearm to threaten a gang of what he thought were drug pushers completing a deal on the streets of Penwortham, Preston, Lancashire.

The 23-year-old convict cycled past the group flashing an imitation handgun and warned: 'You've got five minutes to get out or I'm going to blast you.'

What he didn't realise was that the gang was actually a team of three police officers carrying out a training exercise to collect evidence on local drug dealers.

His defence barrister branded his actions 'breathtakingly stupid', when he was jailed for almost two years at Preston Crown Court yesterday.

After the hearing, Detective Sergeant Will Hogan, of Leyland Police, said the ordeal was 'extremely distressing' for the officers involved.

He said: 'A group of officers were carrying out a training exercise gathering street level evidence on drug dealing when they noticed they were being eye balled by a gang of youths, which included Mr Nestoruk.

'As a result, they decided to finish the scenario and were in the process of leaving when they were approached and threatened by Nestoruk.

'He flashed what officers at the time believed was a gun in the waistband of his trousers, and said he was going to blast them if they didn't leave.

'The officers sought refuge in a nearby hardware store, where they phoned 999 and armed themselves with hammers.'

Nestoruk was arrested after backup officers arrived at the scene.

Sergeant Hogan said he hoped the conviction would be a warning to others who attempt to take the law into their own hands.

He said: 'If he really believed he was trying to rid his streets of drugs he should have phoned the police.

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