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This is the moment a police officer was allegedly caught on camera using a mobile phone while driving.

A passenger in another car captured the footage on their mobile phone after reportedly spotting Detective Constable Rod Carter of Greater Manchester Police at the wheel of his car.

In the video clip, which was then uploaded to Facebook, it is alleged DC Carter, who starred in a BBC show about GMP, is on a mobile phone while sitting in the driver's seat.

In the film the narrator is behind a small silver saloon, and says: “So we are now following an officer outside Longsight police station, Manchester. He seems to be on his mobile phone.

“I will go over to see what is actually happening.”

The narrator then gets out of his car as the silver vehicle pulls up at a red light at a junction.

According to the Manchester Evening News , he can be heard to say ‘What you doing’, as Det Con Carter, in plain clothes, is filmed still on his phone, at the wheel of his car.

He then speaks briefly on his phone before ending the conversation and winding down his window.

The man making the clip says: “Do you work for GMP?”. Det Con Carter replies “I do, yes.”

He is then asked why he is on his phone and replies: “It was a business call.”

But the man quizzing him then says: “If we were to be in the same situation you wouldn’t be that easy with us.”

The man adds: “Do you know where I’m coming from?” - before Det Con Carter says he does.

He is then asked for his name and replies ‘it doesn’t matter’ before driving off.

Faz Khan posted on Facebook: "Just caught a police officer in Manchester on his phone so we followed him to ask why he was on his phone whist driving he said it was a Business Call.

“But regardless of business or pleasure you cannot be on your phone then he drove off I went inside Longsight Police Station had a word with his boss meeting has been set happy days and I got his details.”

He adds that he is sending the clip to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

A spokesman for GMP said: “We are aware of the video clip and the matter is being looked into.”

Earlier this year, Det Con Carter featured in a documentary following the work of a crack team of Manchester sex crime detectives who helped cage DJ Ray Teret.

A BBC crew filmed the Serious Sex Offences Unit of Greater Manchester over two years, tracing the early days of the police investigation into Teret who was a friend of the disgraced TV personality Jimmy Savile.

Det Con Carter was heavily involved in GMP’s crackdown on gang and gun crime in south Manchester, XCalibre.

He was key in the squad’s efforts to clean up the city’s streets and end a spate of tit-for-tat shootings - acting as a link between gang bosses and police.

Earlier this month it was announced motorists who use handheld mobile phones while driving are to face increased penalties and higher fines under proposals from the Department for Transport.

As part of the government’s Road Safety Plan, the fixed penalty notice for dangerous mobile use will rise to £150 from £100, while persistent offenders will face having four penalty points imposed instead of three.