THE former Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner who blew out the tyre of a force pool car while driving has been fined £586 and handed three penalty points after admitting two offences of driving a car with defective tyres.

Christopher Tangye Robert Salmon of 7 Alan Road, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire pleaded guilty by post to the offences and his case was heard at Swansea Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 23 May.

Salmon, who held the £65,000-a-year commissioner job until earlier this month, admitted driving a police-owned vehicle with defective tyres on 1 October last year.

A probe into the incident was launched by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) following a referral from the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Panel in January.

In a statement to the Cambrian News before the hearing, 37-year-old Salmon said: “On 1 October 2015 I collected a shared pool car owned and maintained by Dyfed-Powys Police from the Force’s Headquarters.

“Before driving the car I did not check the condition of the tyres.

“The next day whilst I was driving the car there was a blow-out of a tyre.

“On subsequent examination the car was found to have two tyres that did not have sufficient tread to comply with the requirements of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations.

“I’m judged by the same laws as everyone else.

“I should have checked the tyres before using this shared car"

Swansea magistrates ordered Salmon to pay £586 in fines, prosecution costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £29.

His licence was endorsed with three penalty points.

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