A British policeman was jailed for 12 months today after he falsely claimed to have witnessed a row over a bicycle at Prime Minister David Cameron's residence that brought down a government minister.
Police constable Keith Wallis, 53, a member of Scotland Yard's elite diplomatic protection squad, was sentenced by a judge at the Old Bailey court in London a month after he pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office.
Wallis pretended he saw the brief argument between the then government chief whip Andrew Mitchell and an officer at the gates of Cameron's Downing Street residence in September 2012.
Sentencing Wallis, Judge Nigel Sweeney said the policeman had kept up his lies for nearly three months, demonstrating "devious misconduct which fell far below the standards expected of a police officer.
