Corey Wayne Cook: Man who faked being cop jailed

A man who impersonated a police officer and wrongly fined one of his victims will spend the next four years behind bars after telling a court he was ‘embarrassed’ by his offending.

Corey Wayne Cook, 36, was charged with a string of offences — including impersonating a police officer, unlawful possession and making off without payment — after deceiving numerous victims in September 2019.

Cook also worked alongside Samuel Mark Narroway, 29, who was sentenced in November 2020 to four years prison.

The Adelaide District Court on Friday heard Cook claimed the idea to impersonate police officers came from his accomplice.

Cook first pulled over a young woman on September 5, where he flashed a fake badge and asked to see her ID.

She mentioned that her father was a policeman, which Cook replied: “Okay, so as the daughter of a police officer you’ll know the traffic laws. Have a nice day,” Judge Joanne Tracey said.

The following day, Cook and Narroway both falsely identified themselves as police officers to Mr Manvir Singh.

They activated blue and red lights from their vehicle, asked for the victim’s drivers licence, searched his car and fined him.

Mr Singh was told he had two options: to be arrested or pay cash.

The court heard Mr Singh asked if he could go to an ATM to retrieve money and paid Narroway $300.

A third victim was pulled over by the duo at 2:50am on September 6, where Cook again showed the fake badge and told the driver she was travelling 17km over the speed limit which would result in an on the spot loss of licence for 28 days.

Later that day, another man was pulled over about 12:45pm where Cook again flashed the fake badge.

“(The victim) asked how he would know if the badge was real, to which you replied ‘why wouldn’t it be?’” Judge Tracey said.

“He questioned you again and you told him you’d get a patrol car to come around, then walked back to your car and left the scene.”

Cook was then arrested on September 7, 2019.

In sentencing, the judge told of the impact Cook’s deception had on his victims, stating one woman had “lost trust and confidence” as a result.

“She feels embarrassed by your deception … (and) no longer feels safe when she is in the car.

“(Another victim) describes feeling targeted in his vehicle, has an increased anxiety … (and) is wary of police.

“(A third victim) said she felt a great deal of confusion, distress and shock.”

According to a psychiatric report, Cook fulfilled most criteria associated with anti-social personality disorder, Judge Tracey told the court.

In Cook’s letter of apology provided to the court, he said he felt “extremely embarrassed and ashamed”.

The judge said he appeared to recognise he had “no one to blame” but himself but labelled his actions as “foolish”, “irresponsible” and “dangerous”.

“Although you expressed you were remorseful for your offending, you did maintain you were manipulated by your co accused and would not have otherwise offended.

“It seems you were no doubt a willing participant in playing the role of police officer beside him.

“Each victim of your offending will no doubt experience fear and confusion … (and) suspicion whenever faced with a person who is legitimately acting in authority.

“I remain concerned, despite what you say in your letters, that your prospects for rehabilitation remain poor.”

Cook pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawful possession, making off without payment and driving while disqualified in August 2019.

He later fronted the Magistrate Court over four counts of impersonating a police officer and aggravated deception and pleaded guilty to those charges in March 2020.

He was sentenced to five years imprisonment with a non-parole period of four years.

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