Constable Ian Hill was taking two prisoners to Margate police station in Kent in a van last year when he made several emergency stops for no reason.

Canterbury Crown Court heard Hill also swerved, throwing the prisoners around in the back of the van.

Another officer has been allowed to keep his job, but was reprimanded by his chief constable for his part in the incident, which happened while two prisoners were being escorted from Ramsgate to Margate police station.

Pc Kim Burgess was told by Kent's Chief Constable David Phillips that even though he had been found guilty of perverting the course of justice, he would keep his job in Thanet's crime reduction unit because he had spoken out against a colleague.

Deliberate swerves

Burgess and Hill were transferring Richard Overy and Peter Rutherford in a Transit van last June.

Canterbury Crown Court heard that Hill made emergency stops and swerved from side to side for no reason, throwing the prisoners around in the back of the van.

At an earlier hearing, Hill was found guilty of causing actual bodily harm to Mr Overy, who was cut and bruised, and causing grievous bodily harm and unlawfully wounding to Mr Rutherford, who broke his neck and needed stitches.

Sentencing Hill, Judge Giles Rooke told him he was a "bully".

Hill could also lose his job. Both officers were also convicted of perverting the course of justice by falsifying pocket books and witness statements.

Burgess, who was praised by the judge for telling the truth, was bound over for two years at a previous hearing.

The court had heard Burgess was frightened of Hill and could not stop his erratic driving, which was why he wrote a false account. He also feared Thanet police would turn against him if he told the truth.