Laurence Fox branded ‘disgusting and appalling’ by police after leaving five-year-old son in car

The actor, who plays Detective Sergeant James Hathaway in ITV drama Lewis, says he briefly left the child unattended while he went to buy medicine

Laurence Fox was branded a ‘disgusting and appalling human being’ by a Police Community Support Officer after he left his five-year-old son in the car.

The actor, who plays Detective Sergeant James Hathaway in Inspector Morse spin-off Lewis, says he left the child unattended while he went to buy medicine from a near-by chemist for his 22-month-old son.

Taking to Twitter to voice his anger, he told his followers:

“Park in loading bay to run into chemist to get medicine for sick child. Eldest son asks to stay in the car.

“I agree as I will be minutes. Return to car to find police community support officer telling me my son has been screaming in the car.

“He looks fine to me. I ask him if he is ok and he says he’s fine. I ask him if he was screaming, he says ‘no’.

“Get in the car. As I close the door ... Officer calls me a ‘disgusting and appalling human being’ and infers my son is lying.”

Fox, the cousin of Silent Witness actress Emelia Fox, ended by saying he intended to make a formal complaint about the officer’s behaviour.

“I cannot believe it. I’ve got their number. Looking forward to writing to whoever it is you write to when you are harrased [sic] by the police.”

Under Section One of the Children And Young Persons Act 1933, it is technically an offense to leave any child under the age of 16 in a locked car for any period of time.

However, any possible prosecution would depend on circumstances, and would need to take into account the age and maturity of the child.

Of course, this isn’t Fox’s first brush with the law. In 2007 he was cautioned for punching a photographer as he left the Garrick Theatre in London after he appeared alongside now-wife Billie Piper in Treats.

Fox currently lives village near Midhurst in West Sussex with Piper, 31, and their two kids.