'Gene Hunt' takes on the law

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."

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.

Glenister, who stars in Sky 1 drama Mad Dogs alongside Max Beesley, John Simm and Marc Warren, said: "He started asking all these questions like 'So when you speak to the police, do you get much feedback?'.

"I said 'Well, basically, they get too much paperwork. They want to be out catching the crims. That's why Gene Hunt's so popular with them'.

"And he went 'Absolutely, of course, of course'. Then, six months later, he's on Radio 5 Live saying exactly what I've just said. Bastard nicked my line!"