TWO police firearms officers who bludgeoned a deer to death with crowbars have been found guilty of gross misconduct - but will keep their jobs.

The Durham Constabulary officers were both issued with a final warning this week, despite the incident being branded disgusting and distressing by Police and Crime Commissioner, Ron Hogg.

In June 2013, The Northern Echo exclusively reported that PCs Andrew Pittilla and Brian Clewlow were being investigated after being ordered to humanely destroy an injured deer which had been hit by a vehicle at Tanfield Lea.

However, instead of using a firearm in accordance with protocol, the officers - both long-serving and highly respected - set about the animal with "a large blunt tool".

A disciplinary hearing earlier this week saw the pair found guilty of gross misconduct but they were allowed to carry on as officers with the force.

PCs Pittilla and Clewlow were permanently stripped of firearms duties and issued with a final warning as a result of the incident, which attracted national attention and saw them condemned by animal rights charities.

The pair told the hearing they were animal lovers who had not gained any satisfaction from the act, which they believed had been in the "best interests of the animal".

They said they initially believed the deer was already dead and "with the intention of making sure it was in fact dead and not suffering further, struck the animal several times".

However, an expert witness told the hearing that the method of dispatching the animal appeared "somewhat barbaric" and should only have been considered in the absence of all other options.

Superintendent Darren Ellis, head of the professional standards department, told The Northern Echo that he understood members of the public may feel the officers deserved the sack for their actions.

He said: "The [gross misconduct] process is transparent and observed by independent persons - all the issues have been aired fully, considered and an informed decision has been taken that this was not an act of cruelty.

"It was, in my opinion, a breach of accepted protocol which - through the lens of the public eye - could lead one to think that employment should be in question."

Supt Ellis also said that the officers had dealt "sympathetically" and correctly with the same animal in a separate incident.

The pair were called to attend to the injured deer - confirmed as the same animal - two days previously, when it was hit by a vehicle.

In that incident, they took advice from an animal welfare expert and carried the weakened deer - still able to stand - into nearby woodland where they left it to recover.

After the gross misconduct hearing, Durham's Police and Crime Commissioner Ron Hogg described the following incident as stupid, unacceptable and unbecoming of police officers.

He said: "I've been taking a close and personal interest in this case, which has naturally caused disgust and distress.

"Due to one act of stupidity, [the officers] have gone from having long, clean and commended records to being on their final warning - and stripped of their firearms responsibilities."

He added: "The overwhelming majority of Durham Constabulary officers provide an excellent service to the public and it's sad when they are so badly let down by the actions of the very few."

A spokesman for Durham Constabulary added: "We regret the actions of the officers. Our partnership with the public and its confidence in police actions is paramount to us.

"We expect our officers to adhere to the Code of Ethics at all times.

"Balancing the allegations proven, the single nature of the incident and the health of the officers' misconduct history, the panel feel that an outcome of a final written warning for each officer was proportionate in the circumstances.

"The lessons from this incident will be considered in some depth and will be used to improve the force's response to such incidents in the future."