In at least two cases, the officers involved opted to fight their cases in court and were acquitted.

Solicitor Michael May, retained by the Police Federation to represent the officers, said: “Any police officer would find it very stressful to find themselves under criminal investigation and facing charges that could put them on the wrong side of the law.

“The officers were driving police vehicles and were detected by speed cameras which automatically issued the tickets. The PSNI determine who was driving the vehicle and the officer gets the chance to say why they were speeding. If that isn’t accepted then the officer could get three penalty points on their own driving licence and their personal insurance takes a hit, or they could go to court.

“In the two cases I have been involved in, the officers refused the penalty points and the PPS did make the call to prosecute. The speeds that the officers were doing were not too far over the limit.

“The officers successfully used the standard defence that they were speeding in the execution of their duties. Ultimately it is for the PPS to decide whether to prosecute.”

The Police Federation said it was offering legal assistance to a “very small number” of officers who had been prosecuted for speeding.