Kent's crime commissioner is to be investigated by the police watchdog over whether she was legally insured to drive a car which she crashed in Dartford.

Ann Barnes was injured in the crash in her private Mercedes on Princes Road on September 16. The driver of the other car involved also suffered minor injuries.

The matter was referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) on September 26.

Now, following an assessment, the commission has decided that an independent investigation is necessary to determine whether Mrs Barnes committed a criminal offence.

The investigation will be overseen by IPCC Commissioner Cindy Butts.

It's not the first time the commissioner has been under the media spotlight for controversial matters.

In May this year she suffered heavy criticism after appearing in a 'car crash' documentary in which she struggled to describe what she did, compared policing to an onion and was seen painting her nails and bringing her dogs into work.

The previous April, her youth tsar Paris Brown was forced to stand down from her post amid mounting pressure to resign after posting potentially offensive tweets.

But the youngster hired to replace her was also mired in controversy.

Kerry Boyd, 20, was suspended from public duties in June amid an investigation into her close friendship with married 50-year-old former councillor Robert Burgess.

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