PCC 'did nothing wrong' complaining of 'abuse'

Steve Turner triggered a police probe after claiming he was subjected to online "abuse" during May's local elections

A police and crime commissioner (PCC) who complained of being abused and accused of wrongdoing during a local election campaign was "within his rights", a panel has found.

Steve Turner, Conservative PCC for Cleveland Police, referred himself to the police and crime panel over allegations he had abused his position.

He also triggered a police probe after claiming he was subjected to "bile and abuse" for standing as a candidate.

The panel concluded Mr Turner did nothing wrong by referring matters which triggered police investigations.

Mr Turner said he referred himself to the panel, which scrutinises his work, after allegations he had abused his position, in order to be “open and transparent”.

Panel members found he had acted within his rights and it did not need to refer the matters to Independent Office for Police Conduct.

It added the matter was now closed.

Mr Turner was standing as a Tory candidate in the Redcar and Cleveland Council ward of Longbeck in May when he complained to the local authority’s monitoring officer over a leaflet circulating in the ward that he believed had broken election rules.

The council referred the matter to Cleveland Police which took no action, determining that no offence had been committed.

'Due process'

Around the same time Mr Turner rang the non-emergency 101 police number claiming he had been harassed and attacked online by a member of the public.

This was also investigated by police and no action was taken.

Andy McDonald, the Labour MP for Middlesbrough, suggested police officers had devoted “precious time and resources” because of the complaints.

Mr Turner said he had acted to address the “bile and abuse” aimed at him and his wife Andrea simply for standing as candidates.

He also told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that at no point did he ask or attempt to direct Cleveland Police to take action, either as a member of the public or as PCC.

The panel noted: “There was nothing to suggest that the PCC himself had followed anything but due process in reporting these two matters, both of which [he] was entitled to report like any other individual.”

Mr Turner’s attempt to become a councillor ended in failure after he only got 293 votes, while his wife also lost her seat on the council.