An undercover police officer who left two people with serious injuries after crashing an unmarked vehicle into an oncoming car has kept his job.

He was en route to a call when his radio microphone cable dislodged an item from the central console, which got caught in the pedals and caused him to veer out of his lane on the A28 near Tenterden.

The officer, who suffered serious facial injuries in the crash, assisted at the scene close to the Fat Ox pub in St Michael’s as emergency services shut the route.

Pictures taken on November 30, 2023, show the damage caused to the front of a vehicle after the collision in the village, which occurred at about 12.30pm.

The “covert” officer, who cannot be named due to reporting restrictions enforced by Kent Police to protect his identity, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving at Bexley Magistrates’ Court on October 9 last year.

He was sentenced at the same court on October 30, where he was fined.

Kent Police launched misconduct proceedings against ‘Officer A’ following the conviction over concerns it could "discredit the police service and public confidence”.

I am very aware of the impact I have had on their lives…

He has kept his job - but has been given a final written warning.

At a hearing chaired by Chief Constable Tim Smith at Kent Police HQ in Maidstone today, the officer accepted the allegations of gross misconduct.

Making the case against Officer A, ‘appropriate authority’ Chloe Hill told how the collision left the driver and passenger of the oncoming vehicle seriously injured.

Representing the officer, lawyer Mark Aldred said: “He was involved in a policing operation. He tried to pass information to other units using his radio.

“The radio mic was on a cable, and it dislodged an item off the console of the vehicle, which caught the pedals and caused the car to veer out of its lane.

“It was a momentary lapse. It was isolated and arose in difficult operational circumstances and was made in pursuit of a legitimate policing purpose.”

Mr Aldred said Officer A “rendered aid” despite suffering facial injuries himself and had “always accepted responsibility for his own actions”.

Chief Constable Smith considered this evidence before delivering his verdict.

“The officer’s conduct was not intentionally deliberate or planned,” he said.

“He was acting in good faith.”

The police chief said the “consequences of [Officer A’s] error were completely unintended” and the members of the public injured in the crash were “unequivocal in their support of the officer”.

But nevertheless, Chief Constable Smith found the “actions were discreditable” and amounted to gross misconduct.

He then had to decide whether to dismiss the officer, who had completed “lengthy service with an unblemished record”.

Mr Aldred made the case that the courts had not given Officer A points on his licence, nor had they disqualified him from driving, instead deciding to issue a fine.

Arguing the officer should be given a final written warning, Mr Aldred said: “He has an unparalleled work ethic.

“The importance of his unique skillset is testified by managers.”

Chief Constable Smith told the hearing he had not seen any representations about “remorsefulness”, so he addressed the officer directly about this.

Officer A told the room very early in the legal proceedings that he asked about the welfare of the people he crashed into but was told he “was not allowed that information”.

“I am very aware of the impact I have had on their lives,” he told his boss.

“It is something I have to cope with.”

Chief Constable Smith said while the officer’s behaviour will have an “adverse effect” on the public’s trust and confidence in policing, there are “extraordinary circumstances in this case”.

“The scale of the mitigation is very high,” he said.

“The actions taken by the officer after the event, despite his injuries, are commendable.”

He described the officer as a “highly skilled” individual who helps protect the public from serious criminal harm and gave him a final written warning.

In a statement issued after the hearing, Kent Police said: “At about 12.30pm on Thursday, November 30, 2023, an unmarked police car was involved in a collision with another vehicle on the A28 at Tenterden.

“The officer driving the vehicle, who is employed in an operationally sensitive role, suffered a serious facial injury and two people travelling in the other vehicle also suffered serious injuries.

“Following an investigation, the officer, who said he veered across the road after reaching for an item of police equipment, was charged with two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving.

“He pleaded guilty to both offences at the earliest opportunity and was sentenced by a judge at Bexley Magistrates’ Court on October 30, 2024, who ordered he should pay a fine of £1,115, a victim surcharge of £446 and court costs of £85.

“Misconduct proceedings resumed following the officer’s sentencing, and at a hearing today, Kent Chief Constable Tim Smith ruled the officer’s actions amounted to gross misconduct.

“He was issued with a final written warning as a result.”