AN INNOCENT man was bundled into a police van and forced to wait to be taken to the station by police who were too busy playing a radio quiz show to win crates of beer.

Unemployed plumber Danny Gardiner, 22, of Kirkham Street, Plumstead, was walking along Kingsdale Road, at 8.50am on March 19, when plain clothes policemen mistook him for a wanted man and bundled him into the back of their van.

As he was being taken to Plumstead police station, in High Street, Plumstead, the names of the policemen came up on national radio station Xfm's Have I Got Booze For You quiz and Mr Gardiner was forced to wait while they played for crates of beer.

What was said on air


DJ: "Who are the noisy so-and-sos in the car?
Policeman: "People I am going to work with."
DJ: "Tell them to shut up."
Policeman: "Yeah. Shut up."
DJ: "Who is the most annoying?"
Policeman: "The bloke in the back."
DJ: "What is his name?"
Policeman: "Danny."
DJ: "Why is he in trouble? Is he cheating on his missus?"
Policeman: "He's a bit tied up at the moment?"
As the quiz began and Mr Gardiner protested the DJ said: "Give Danny a slap."
There is a slapping sound and the policeman says: "He liked that."
When the call was coming to an end, the DJ asked the policeman what he was going to do after work.
The policeman replied: "Drink heavily."

When Mr Gardiner protested, the DJ Iain Lee, who was unaware he was speaking to on-duty policemen, asked who was making all the noise.

The policemen told him it was "Danny" who was "a bit tied up at the moment" prompting the DJ to tell the officers to "give him a slap" live on air.

Mr Gardiner said: "I think it's totally disgusting. They had arrested me and were humiliating me live on air.

"I was shouting out this is ridiculous', but both the DJ and officer told me to shut up'.

"It was totally unprofessional, I didn't want my name going out live on air and I hadn't even done anything."

After winning four crates of beer, the officers drove Mr Gardiner to Plumstead police station where he was told they had made a mistake and he was taken back home.

He has since taken up the matter with a solicitor.

Greenwich acting borough commander Superintendent Adrian Hanstock said: "It was unprofessional behaviour and I will be carrying out an investigation before any decision is made."