A highly-commended detective has been cleared of giving a misleading account to the public of what was said during a meeting with "Plebgate" row MP Andrew Mitchell.

Detective Sergeant Stuart Hinton and two other Police Federation representatives met Mr Mitchell at his constituency office in October 2012, three weeks after the politician was involved in a well-publicised spat with Metropolitan Police officers at the Downing Street gates.

Following that meeting, the serving Warwickshire Police officer had been accused of giving a false impression of the Tory MP's explanation of the incident, in an interview with BBC Radio Five Live on October 13.

A misconduct panel convened at the force's former headquarters found his on-air comments did not amount to dishonesty, discreditable conduct or a breach of integrity.

Mr Hinton, described to the panel as a "model detective" and who was a local Federation branch secretary at the time, denied any wrong-doing.

Giving the decision, tribunal chairman Assistant Chief Constable Ingrid Lee, of South Yorkshire Police, said: "The panel are of the view that this (Mr Mitchell's) was such a partial account of what was believed to have happened it wasn't misleading for Sgt Hinton to say 'he still won't say exactly what he did say' in his radio interview."

She added: "The panel therefore do not consider that the account Sgt Hinton gave was misleading or believe he was intending to mislead anyone or was careless as to whether he might have been."

In 2014 a judge ruled that the MP probably did call Met officer Pc Toby Rowland a "pleb" after the politician was stopped from riding his bicycle through the vehicle gate on September 19, 2012.

Pc Rowland later accepted £80,000 in damages from Mr Mitchell.

But at the time of the meeting, on October 12, the MP had denied uttering the offending word.

Reacting to the tribunal decision today, Mr Mitchell said: "It really would be better for the police not to conduct these inquiries into their own, but for independent bodies to carry out this work.

"That would command more public confidence."

Setting out the case against Mr Hinton in the hearing, presenting officer Aaron Rathmell said the detective had got involved in the "politically toxic dispute", as the Midlands' Federation representatives were poised to launch a campaign against policing budget cuts.

He added Mr Hinton's radio interview contained "spin" and was not fair and accurate.

A secret recording of the meeting with the Sutton Coldfield MP played to the tribunal, heard Mr Mitchell state: "I did not say - and I give you my word - I did not call an officer a f*****g pleb, and that you should know your f*****g place."

Mr Mitchell also said: "I complied with the officer and picked up my bicycle and, you know, but I did say, you know, under my breath but audibly - in frustration, 'I thought you lot were supposed to f*****g help us' - I did say that and it is for that I apologise."

The next day, Mr Hinton told BBC radio: "He still won't say exactly what he did say which suggests that the officer's account is more likely to be the accurate one."

Mr Hinton's barrister Adrian Keeling told the hearing: "A man of his integrity is being charged with inaccurately reporting the lies told by a dishonest man (Mr Mitchell)."

Afterwards, Mr Hinton's solicitor said: "He is pleased that today the panel, having heard and considered all the evidence, dismissed all the allegations he faced."