ONE the region's most senior police officers has admitted  driving while using his mobile phone after being confronted with damning video evidence by The Northern Echo.

A full investigation has been launched after Superintendent Mark Thornton, until recently head of the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit – which was featured in the hugely popular Police Interceptors programme – was filmed driving his personal car away from Cleveland Police headquarters last Thursday afternoon.

The camera phone footage clearly shows the him talking into his mobile phone while driving from Middlesbrough towards Ingleby Barwick.

And according to the eyewitness who filmed the incident, the route taken by the officer took him past two schools, Ingleby Manor, first and then Ingleby Mill Primary School, at a time when children would have been out of school.

As part of his role as head of the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, he was in charge of the firearms units, traffic units and dog units from both the Cleveland and Durham forces. He now holds a senior position at Cleveland Police headquarters.

Supt Thornton held his hands up to his law breaking after being confronted with a still photograph from the 20-second video clip passed to The Northern Echo.

The officer said: “As a serving police officer I’m more aware than most of the potentially devastating consequences of driving whilst distracted.

"This is no small thing and the consequences for pedestrians and other roads users can be fatal, which is why we have recently seen changes to the law increasing penalty points and fines for driving while using a mobile phone.

“I’m very sorry, not because of the impact on me – it’s my responsibility and no one else’s – but to those I feel I’ve let down.

"Policing is a job I love and in which I’ve carried out my duties to the best of my abilities over 27 years. I have let a lot of people down, not least myself. I will fully accept the consequences of my actions.”

In 2015, Supt Thornton contributed to training officers in Tanzania on behalf of the United Nations and the College of Policing, and has been a high profile officer at the force for several years, overseeing many major incidents.

Assistant Chief Constable Jason Harwin said a full investigation into the circumstances has been launched.

He said: “Driving whilst distracted is serious and the information presented to the force by The Northern Echo will be fully investigated. We will provide an update once this is concluded.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland Barry Coppinger has told the officer that he is not above the law and will face the legal consequences of his actions.

“I’ve made it very clear in my Police and Crime Plan that I’m committed to reducing injury and death on the roads," he said.

“The introduction earlier this year of harsher punishments for illegal mobile phone use whilst driving will help to make this a reality.

“The law applies as much to police officers as it does to anyone else. It’s right that this officer has apologised for his actions and that Cleveland Police is now investigating the material received from The Northern Echo.”