A former Kingston police officer who lied about being involved in a police chase has been sentenced for dangerous driving.
Paul Baker, 30, originally claimed that he had been chasing another vehicle when he hit a moped in Wandsworth on December 2 2011. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and misconduct in a public office at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday.
Mr Baker was sentenced to two months imprisonment for dangerous driving and six months imprisonment for misconduct in a public office. The sentences will run consecutively.
Commander Allan Gibson from the Directorate of Professional Standards said; “Every officer in the Met who is trained to drive using blue lights knows the responsibility that goes with using them. Baker abused these important emergency driving procedures and was using them inappropriately.”
Mr Baker was returning to base from central London at around 10.30pm when his police car collided with a moped at a junction on Garratt Lane. The moped rider sustained serious leg injuries and has still not fully recovered.
The Directorate of Professional Standards launched an investigation into the incident after Mr Baker claimed to have been involved in a chase. CCTV footage showed him travelling through London at over 50mph with blue lights flashing and sirens blaring. But there was no evidence that he had been chasing a vehicle, and he was forced to admit that he had lied.
Mr Baker resigned from the Metropolitan Police Service on January 19 2012.
Commander Gibson added: “Officers are not above the law, we expect high standards of our officers and the Directorate of Professional Standards will take action against those who are found to let the rest of the service and the public down.”
