A WELL-known Skipton man who was an avid footballer playing in and around Skipton in his younger days as well as for Bradford City’s youth team, was left terrified after being accused of being a drug dealer by an undercover cop.

Mick Patrick said he had been walking back home at around 9.40am on May 6 after dropping his car off for repairs at a garage on the outskirts of town.

“After leaving Keighley Road I passed the top of Pembroke Street when a thirty-something guy with a beard and wearing a hoodie jumped out in front of me shouting ‘You need to stop’.

“I didn’t fancy being mugged or stabbed so I told him where to go.

“He came after me and got right in front of my face, not keeping the two-metre distance. He then told me he was a policeman.”

Mr Patrick said he was terrified. He didn’t know if the man was genuine or if he was carrying a knife.

“He then accused me of being a drug dealer delivering to an address in the area.

“He said: ‘We know the address you have just left and the address you’re taking the drugs to. I said he must be joking and asked him how old the drug dealer he was looking for was and he answered, 52.

“I said, okay, I’m 69, to which he muttered that 52-year-old drug dealers often look a lot older.

“He made a call and I could hear the voice of a woman. He then decided I wasn’t a dealer and showed me his ID card. I should have asked for his ID at the start but I was very shaken. There were people around and my mind was racing. I had visions of me being put in handcuffs and taken to Harrogate.

“What made it worse was I had quite a bit of money on me because I didn’t know if the mechanic wanted paying up-front. If he had searched me and found it I would have had some explaining to do.

“Mind you, he would have found my bus pass which I had forgotten I had on me and would have proved who I was.

“I am not happy about someone being two feet away from my face after obeying police rules for the last seven weeks and have complained to the relevant police departments who say they will get back to me. I won’t hold my breath.”

A spokesman for North Yorkshire police said they would not comment on specific incidents which may hinder an investigation.

They said: “North Yorkshire Police has a process in place to fairly and accountably investigate any complaints from members of the public. We would advise people to use this process if they are not happy with the service they have received.”