He is famous for playing no-nonsense policeman Gene Hunt – but actor Philip Glenister has revealed that he recently took on the law.

The Life On Mars and Ashes To Ashes star accused a policeman of giving the service a bad name.

He told the Radio Times: “I challenged a copper recently – he was booking a woman who was picking her kids up from school.

“Her car was on this side road by a red route and it was causing no problems.

“I told him in no uncertain terms it was people like him that gave the police a bad name, and he should be out catching proper criminals and he was a disgrace.”

Mr Glenister, 47, admitted that there had “probably been a few” brushes with the law in his youth but he could not remember them.

Recently, the actor accused Prime Minister David Cameron of having “nicked” his line after they met at the Police Bravery Awards.