POLICE wasted 900 cop hours trying to capture a man who was mooning at them from a roof.

Armed officers, a £3,000 drone, trained negotiators and 110 bobbies were dispatched to deal with drunken Christopher Foley, 51.

During the builder’s 45-hour stand-off, he pulled down his trousers and pants and threw stones and bricks at the police, their vehicles and the drone.

He was finally caught when he got down from the derelict building and went into his home next door.

Prosecutor David Pugh told Cardiff Crown Court the police operation had cost taxpayers £18,000.

He added: “It took between 700 and 900 hours of police time, with an average of 15 to 20 officers present at any one time.

“A firearms unit and two negotiators were deployed but they made little progress with him. To be frank, he threw missiles at them.”

Foley, from Tredegar, South Wales, was wanted on recall to prison at the time of the incident in June.

Mr Pugh said: “He climbed onto the roof and took his trousers and pants down. He mimed a sex act and there were whistles, cheers and jeers from bystanders.”

Foley also yelled obscenties at the cops and threatened to hit them “over the head” with a brick.

After his arrest he told them he had been drinking lager and had taken a large quantity of sleeping tablets and Nurofen. Mr Pugh added: “He didn’t remember much of the incident.”

Foley was jailed for six months after admitting affray, causing criminal damage and outraging public decency.

Suzanne Payne, defending, said he felt “embarrassed and ashamed” by his behaviour. The court heard that he had a “long history of dishonesty,” with 68 previous offences.

Judge Tom Crowther QC told him: “This was a massive waste of police time. Overall you were more spectacle than threat, but at great cost to the public purse.