Shed Simove, a former Big Brother producer and now a novelty toy designer, commissioned a factory in China to manufacture his blow-up speed camera.
He planned to sell the devices – dubbed the FAKESO – for £30 each, hoping they’d appeal to people trying to persuade drivers to slow down outside their homes.
But police officers warned him: “Depending on where they were erected, there could be an offence contrary to section 22A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (Causing danger to road users) – this carries a maximum of seven years in prison.”
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A despondent Mr Simove said: “I'm gutted. I really thought I'd created a product that could help everyone by reducing speeding on Britain's roads.
“I just want to encourage safe driving. The last thing I want is to cause an accident.”
In their email to Mr Simove, police also raised a number of other potential concerns about the yellow inflatable ‘cameras’, which look surprisingly realistic.
They warned that such devices might breach planning regulations and lead to action by local authorities.
And they said: “Additionally, if an accident were to occur as a result of the fake camera, those responsible could find themselves being sued by the victims.”
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Mr Simove has now put his plans to sell the novelty devices on hold while he gets legal advice on the matter.
“I was flabbergasted when the police told me I could face seven years in the clink for this,” he said.
Speeding continues to be a topic that provokes intense discussion among residents and road users in the UK. Nearly 800,000 people were issued penalty notices for speeding in 2015.
Find out how much a speeding fine is and if the punishment can be more severe in our guide.
Read more: Speed cameras placed in ‘good hunting locations’ rather than to improve road safety & Unfair speeding fines? Motorists question 'snap happy' speed camera accuracy
