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Speeding Durham Police driver disciplined over 140mph Speeding Durham Police driver disciplined over 140mph
(about 7 hours later)
A police driver has been disciplined after a prisoner he was transporting reported him for driving at 140mph.A police driver has been disciplined after a prisoner he was transporting reported him for driving at 140mph.
According to the Northern Echo, the Durham Police officer was travelling from Leeds and began speeding when he was asked by his passenger how fast the marked car could go. The Durham Police officer was travelling from Leeds to Darlington in December in a marked BMW 330.
On arrival at Darlington, the prisoner told another officer about the drive. He began speeding when he was asked by his passenger how fast the car could go, the Northern Echo said.
Durham Police said the PC's licence had been suspended and he had been removed from road policing duties. A force spokesman said the 35-year-old's police driving licence had been suspended and he had been moved permanently from road policing duties.
'Driving school' 'Professional sanction'
Supt Darren Ellis said: "We are aware of this complaint, which concerns an allegation of a marked police vehicle being driven at excess, and inappropriate, speed while transporting a prisoner back from Leeds into our force area. Head of professional standards Supt Darren Ellis said: "The officer in question was an advanced and highly skilled police driver and there was no suggestion that the vehicle was driven dangerously at any time.
"There were no other reports from members of the public reporting the police vehicle being driven at high speed, or dangerously." "This error of judgement on behalf of the officer is as a result of a single incident and there is no evidence to suggest a pattern of behaviour. The officer's conduct prior to the incident had been exemplary."
The force has not given details of the make of the vehicle, which was being driven from Leeds to Darlington Police station. He said that, after a full investigation, it was felt "professional sanction" was more appropriate than criminal proceedings.
Supt Ellis added that the PC had been formally sanctioned and was subject to "an action plan concerning risk management and decision-making". The PC has been subject to "an action plan concerning risk management and decision-making".
"His licence has been suspended, including removing his pursuit capabilities", he said. The force has voluntarily referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
"The PC will also have to go through a driving school re-assessment before returning to full operational duties."