Police watchdog won't investigate four allegations made against Cleveland PCC Steve Turner

The police watchdog has said it will not further investigate four allegations made against Cleveland's Police and Crime Commissioner earlier this month. 

Last week, Cleveland PCC Steve Turner described an anonymous allegation that he had a pub fight in 2019 as “absurd”.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has investigated and, along with three other allegations, said it “did not find sufficient indication that any criminal offences may have taken place”.

A senior investigating officer from Avon and Somerset police has been appointed to investigate an outstanding serious non-recent criminal allegation which Mr Turner denies. 

After the IOPC announced it was sending back the four latest allegations to the Cleveland Police and Crime Panel, Mr Turner welcomed the news in a Facebook post.

He wrote: “As I and my family go into Xmas it is good that these allegations do not require any further investigation and, whilst it is right that due process happens, quite frankly they should never have been put into the public domain in the first place.

“We’d like to thank all of you who have supported us so far and wish you a very, merry Christmas and I look forward to building on the great plans I’ve got for 2022 and beyond.”

The IOPC said the four allegations it has returned to the crime panel relate to an alleged assault in 2019; allegedly providing inaccurate information to the media; and two complaints from the same individual regarding alleged data protection breaches.

A spokesman for the watchdog said: “When assessing referrals, we are looking for any indication that the evidence and public interest contained within them meets the legal threshold for an investigation to be necessary.

“When a referral is returned, it is for the Police and Crime Panel to deal with any matters in a reasonable and proportionate manner.”