The council enforcement officer who aggressively threatened to 'knock out' a member of the public has claimed the man 'harassed' him while 'intoxicated'. 

Joseph Fernandes, 38, and Umar Siddiq, 30, were branded 'thugs in uniform' after the viral encounter on May 18 saw the pair telling Alvin, 23, they would 'rip his teeth out'. 

The men, employed as enforcement agents by Kingdom Services Group, who were contracted by Harrow Council in northwest London to provide 'local authority support', were subsequently sacked over the incident after it provoked outrage. 

They claimed they were trying to fine a teenager £100 for allegedly spitting in the street before the minute-long encounter escalated to threats of violence against the man. 

However, the initial confrontation came after Alvin intervened when he spotted the duo allegedly pressuring a distressed teenage girl they were attempting to fine. 

Alvin told the Daily Mail he stepped in and advised the girl that she did not have to pay a fine for spitting if there was no evidence that it had happened and she should keep on walking.

That intervention prompted the angry reaction from the enforcement officers as Fernandes and Siddiq then turned on him.

In the viral incident, Fernandes told the man: 'When I'm not in uniform, I'm gonna knock you the f*** out and rip your teeth out.'

He even threatened to call the police to Northolt Road in South Harrow because an officer would 'f*** you up'. 

It has since emerged that Harrow Council has suspended its contract with Kingdom Services Group until they are given 'clear guarantees' that the borough's 'high standards' can be met.

Fernandes has now claimed that Alvin had 'harassed' the enforcement officers while 'intoxicated' in the moments leading up to the viral encounter. 

In a video posted on TikTok on Monday, Fernandes claimed: 'I know I would never react without a reason. This guy who videoed us, he's a painter and decorator and he would always come out of South Harrow station intoxicated all the time. 

'Every day we thought nothing of it, and he'd always try and interfere with our work, constantly, and harass us. 

'Now I want to address the moment that has been widely shared. Yes, there's a clip that's gone viral where I say something I shouldn't have said. 

'Was it my best moment? No, it wasn't my best moment. If I could go back, I would have handled it differently, and I accept that. 

'At the time, I had finished work, but me still in uniform, I understand that when you're still in uniform that your actions reflect on your employer and colleagues and I take responsibility for that myself. 

'What I would ask people to consider is whether a short clip captures the full reality of what happened before it was recorded. 

'From my perspective, there were exchanges, provocation and circumstances that are not being shown in the footage being circulated online.' 

During the minute-long encounter in May, which has now been viewed millions of times since it was posted this month, the two enforcement officers tell the man they are going to 'rip his teeth out'.

The enforcement agents accuse the man filming of 'trying to mess with our money' before Fernandes begins to verbally threaten him and becomes increasingly aggressive. 

Fernandes tells the man: 'I'm going to show you something right now. Come to the alleyway right now, we're gonna show you what time it is. We're gonna show you what time it is bruv.

'We're gonna make sure you can't work no more and earn no money 'cause you're trying to butt in with our money - and bruv, do you know what I do to people like that? Come here now. Let's go.'

Fernandes then gestures for the man to follow him across the busy road as he stands in a bus lane before saying: 'I swear when I'm not in uniform, I'm gonna knock you the f*** out and rip your teeth out. Do you know that? If I give you one punch I'll knock all your teeth out.' 

He continues: 'If I call a police officer for you, he'll f*** you up, you know, 'cause we work with them and you didn't know that did you? So come across the road now 'cause I'm gonna show you what time it is.' 

Fernandes then begins to unzip his black vest, on which his body-worn video camera is mounted, before adding: 'Bruv I ain't having no one disrupt my job you know.

'Do I come and disrupt your money when you're painting and f***ing decorating, you wasteman? I'll come and throw you through the f***ing walls brother and put paint all over you.'

A Harrow Council spokesperson previously said at the time the video went viral: 'We are aware of a video circulating in relation to the conduct of two enforcement officers.

'Swift action was taken as soon as the incident and complaint were raised to us and Kingdom in May, and the individuals involved no longer work for Kingdom.

'We take any instance of officers deliberately turning off body-worn cameras extremely seriously.

'Threats of violence towards members of the public are wholly unacceptable and will not be tolerated.'

Following the altercation Harrow Council has now suspended all operations with Kingdom Services Group - which employed the men - until they are given 'clear guarantees' that the borough's 'high standards' can be met.

In a statement released on Wednesday evening, council leader Paul Osborn said: 'Following concerns relating to officer conduct, we have suspended all Kingdom operations in Harrow with immediate effect. We have also reported Kingdom's enforcement officers to the police. 

'We have called for clear guarantees from Kingdom's senior management that any activities carried out on behalf of the council meet the high standards we expect.

'Everyone wants a clean and safe borough, and enforcement plays an important role in helping us restore pride in Harrow - but enforcement must also be professional and proportionate. 

'Until we are confident that these standards can be upheld, Kingdom's operations in Harrow will remain suspended.'

A Kingdom Services Group spokesperson also said at the time the footage went viral: 'We are aware of the video circulating in relation to the serious conduct of two Kingdom Local Authority Support enforcement officers.

'As soon as the incident and subsequent complaint were brought to our attention in May, swift action was taken.

'The individuals concerned no longer work for Kingdom Local Authority Support.

'We take any instance of officers deliberately disabling body-worn cameras extremely seriously, as these devices are an important safeguard for both the public and our staff.'

They later added: 'They had both passed their DBS checks, completed their mandatory training and no previous complaints had been made about the two individuals.

'We understand the incident has been reported to the police and we will support any further investigation.'