Welsh police officer sentenced after crashing while following vehicle
A Welsh police officer has been sentenced after crashing while following a vehicle. The collision, involving PC Phil Thomas, happened in Septemeber last year.
A Dyfed Powys Police statement said: "PC Phil Thomas received 6 penalty points on his driving licence and was issued with a £275 fine and £110 surcharge to be paid within 28 days after pleading guilty, at Swansea Crown Court, to careless driving while on duty, following a road traffic collision in the Ammanford area on Monday 29 th September 2024.
"He was originally summoned to appear in court to answer a charge of dangerous driving, which he denied, however he admitted the offence of careless driving which was accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service.
"The court heard how a marked police vehicle, driven by PC Thomas, was following a vehicle travelling at excess speed, when he veered into the opposite carriageway. He collided with the offside panel of an oncoming vehicle, and then a lamppost. The driver of the other vehicle received minor injuries (lacerations/ cuts) and went to hospital as a precaution."
Superintendent Phil Rowe, Head of Professional Standards Department added: 'PC Thomas is a police response driver and had undertaken training, which included following and attempting to stop vehicles with the blue lights illuminated, but his driving on that day fell below the standard expected of an officer trained in such circumstances. It is only proper that he has been held to account for his actions."
The force said PC Thomas has been re-deployed from frontline duties since the incident and is subject to a parallel gross misconduct investigation by the Professional Standards Department, "whereby a determination in respect of a case to answer will be made by the Appropriate Authority in due course."
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