FORMER national footballer, Gregory Messam, was Monday charged with disorderly conduct, running a red light, disobeying police orders to stop and failing to wear a seat belt.

The case will come up for mention in the Kingston Traffic Court on January 21.

However, Messam said that he refused to stop because he was not sure that the policemen who stopped him were really “who they said they were”.

Said Messam: “I was at the intersection of Greenwich Farm when a grey Volkswagen with three men in it passed me and then reversed. The man in the back said ‘police, stop’, but I was afraid to, especially in that area which is not the nicest place. Furthermore, the way they approached me wasn’t right. They could have been robbers or anybody. So I drove to the nearest police station — Hunts Bay — and stopped there,” he told the Observer .

“As for the red light and seat belt, I didn’t run any red light and I took off my seat belt when I stopped at the station,” he said.

Special Constable Steve Watson, who gave the instructions for Messam to stop, issued four tickets to the former national footballer, who now plays for national premier league champions, Arnett Gardens.

According to Watson, Messam refused to stop his silver BMW SUV when ordered to do so and became disorderly when intercepted.