British Policeman Jailed for 12 Months over 'Plebgate' Scandal

A British policeman was jailed for 12 months on Thursday 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.

Mitchell was forced to resign over claims he called officers guarding Downing Street "fucking plebs" because they refused to let him go through the main gate with his bike, adding that they should "know your fucking place".

Mitchell admitted he swore but denied using the word "pleb", a derogatory term for the lower social classes.

He resigned over the so-called "Plebgate" row a few weeks later but questions about the honesty of Britain's police have rippled out from the scandal ever since.

Wallis admitted lying in an email to his local MP that he was present during the row, and admitted arranging for his nephew to support the claim.