A police officer facing court after crashing a car containing guns is also facing ridicule on the internet.

PC Anthony Crayford was charged with driving without due care and attention after the embarrassing accident, which wrote off a patrol car in Lewes earlier this year.

To add to his troubles, the incident has been publicly mocked on social networking website Facebook.

More than 125 people have joined a website group entitled Sussex Police School of Advanced Driving Lewes, which was set up shortly after the collision on February 20.

The group page shows a picture of the patrol car on its roof in Priory Street, Lewes.

Readers compared the incident to the farcical experiences of police recruits in the 1980s Police Academy comedies.

One reader sarcastically pointed out the shocking fact that the car was carrying firearms at the time it crashed.

They wrote: "If this had been some young man we would have had it rammed down our throats about the scourge of teenage drivers.

"But, we didn't have to worry about this crash. I mean they only left a car on its roof with weapons of the gun variety in it."

In a particularly damning indictment of Sussex Police, another contributor said: "The Old Bill in this town are a joke and have been for years now."

PC Crayford was driving the firearms unit on a routine patrol at about 4.30am when it hit a parked car and overturned for reasons that so far remain unexplained.

Paramedics arrived at the scene but both PC Crayford and his passenger were uninjured.

Both cars were severely damaged in the incident.

A full investigation was launched and resulted in the driver being charged.

Sussex Police refused to comment about the Facebook group.

A spokesman said: "As a result of the investigation into a collision involving a police vehicle in Priory Street, Lewes, on February 20, 2008, a report was sent to the CPS in Kent for a decision.

"The CPS subsequently recommended that the police driver in this incident, Anthony Crayford, be prosecuted for driving without due care and attention.

"PC Crayford has now received his summons and is due to appear before Crawley Magistrates on July 1."