Cleveland officer cleared of meddling in police investigations

Supt Bev Gill's barrister said the investigation had been "biased, flawed and inherently unfair"

Gross misconduct charges against the head of Cleveland Police's professional standards department have been dismissed.

Supt Bev Gill had faced a disciplinary hearing accused of meddling in two investigations involving friends.

However, at the hearing in Stockton-on-Tees on Friday she was told the allegations had been dismissed.

Her barrister said the initial investigation into Supt Gill was "biased, flawed and inherently unfair".

Supt Gill's statement, read by her barrister Hugh Davies QC , said she blamed Cleveland Police's ex-chief constable Mike Veale and its former civilian head of standards and ethics, Cristiana Emsley for the investigation, saying she had "been used as the warning to others".

At the hearing, Cleveland Police accepted the proceedings against Supt Gill could not be continued, in part due to ongoing separate matters involving others which will not be completed for months.

Supt Gill said the original investigation compromised the Independent Office for Police Conduct's subsequent inquiry

The officer, who has 25 years' experience, faced allegations from up to six years ago when, as chief inspector, she was first deputy and then substantive head of the force's professional standards department.

Supt Gill, who suffered post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the investigation, had been charged with gross misconduct.

She had denied claims of tipping off a detective about allegations of a sexual nature made against him and intervening in an inquiry after a senior officer lied about injuries from a love rival.

Supt Gill claimed witness statements revealed "loaded questions", there was dislike shown for her "direct management style", and inaccurate rumour was presented as fact.

Supt Gill said the original investigation compromised the Independent Office for Police Conduct's subsequent inquiry.

Mr Veale faces gross misconduct proceedings for allegedly breaching professional standards while he led Cleveland Police. He stepped down in 2019.

Ms Emsley was the force's first non-warranted director of its standards and ethics department, which was set up following a number of scandals. She was suspended in 2020.