Dashcam footage proved PCs made 'inaccurate statements'

PC Ben Pearmain and PC Scott Miles admitted their statements were "incorrect" but said they did not lie

Two police officers whose inaccurate statements led to prosecutions of two men have been found guilty of misconduct.

PC Ben Pearmain and PC Scott Miles of Thames Valley Police had accused the two drivers of going through a red light.

But dashcam footage provided by the accused showed their statements were false.

A panel ruled the High Wycombe officers should receive "management advice".

The officers had incorrectly accused the two men, who were stopped on 17 June 2017, of driving at such speed their cars went "sideways" on a roundabout.

The dashcam video also revealed a further claim, that the men had only stopped when traffic blocked their path, was inaccurate.

PC Pearmain completed a statement the day after the arrests, the hearing was told.

The panel heard PC Miles did not write his statement until 20 July, six days after he was e-mailed a copy of PC Pearmain's.

When asked if he had read his colleague's statement before submitting his own, he said he could not remember.

'Embarrassed and ashamed'

Counsel Richard Oulton alleged there had been "a degree of collusion" between the officers, but this was rejected by the panel.

Both officers insisted they had not lied and that their statements were what they believed had happened.

PC Pearmain said the "minor driving offence" was "not something worthwhile lying about".

Addressing the panel, PC Miles said he was "shocked, embarrassed and ashamed" for including errors in his statement.

PC Pearmain told the panel he believed the dashcam footage from the second car had been "conveniently edited", as it began after the vehicle had gone through the traffic lights.

Chair of the panel, Chiew Yin Jones, concluded: "While these statements led to the prosecution of two members of the public, the panel believe the inaccuracies were a result of a genuine mistake."

The prosecutions against the men were unsuccessful after the dashcam footage was played in court.