THE decision not to suspend a senior police officer at the centre of a criminal probe "sent out completely the wrong message", according to a leaked report.

Assistant Chief Constable Sean White went against advice from lawyers and investigators during the disciplinary hearing of colleague Chief Inspector Tony Riordan.

The Northern Echo revealed yesterday (Thursday, May 16) how the Cleveland Police officers were in the same sailing team and there were fears of how that would be perceived.

A report compiled for the Independent Police Complaints Commission says Mr White should have declared an interest as chairman on the discipline panel.

Ch Insp Riordan - who was allowed to retire while the allegations were investigated - is heavily criticised in the Operation Pomeroy document.

He is described variously as "blinkered, obstructive and disingenuous", but he says he has lodged a complaint about how the inquiry was handled.

He also denied he "lost sight of priorities" and was "hell-bent on cornering his quarry" as he pursued people suspected of being behind the collapse of one of his cases.

One of those, Teesside lawyer James Watson, has won £550,000 damages after suing the force for wrongful arrest on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

The report reveals that Mr Watson was regarded as "a thorn in the side" of Cleveland Police after his firm successfully defended a number of major cases.

His client Bronson Tyers lodged a complaint in 2010 that sparked Operation Pomeroy - claiming Ch Insp Riordan had suppressed evidence in his kidnap trial.

The report says: "It could be said that in his desire to try and secure charges against James Watson and Bronson Tyers, Ch Insp Riordan had lost sight of his priorities.

"The decision not to suspend, in the view of the IPCC investigators, sent out completely the wrong message to a force that required strong leadership."

Mr White is said to "strongly refute" claims that his links to Mr Riordan had anything to do with him ignoring top-level advice on his suspension.

And Mr Riordan said: "I strongly refute any allegation I acted with anything other than professionalism and integrity in connection with the arrest of Mr Watson.

“I have made a formal complaint about the conduct of the investigation carried out by West Yorkshire Police on behalf of the Independent Police Complaints Commission."

New chief constable Jacqui Cheer said: "ACC White considered the suspension of this officer in October 2011 in accordance with the policy and practices of the force and based solely upon the information and evidence presented to him by the investigation team.

"The decision to suspend a police officer is taken within the context of a national decision-making framework and requires that certain and specific suspension conditions and criteria are met.

"Having fully considered the interim report of the IPCC investigator, and having consulted with specialist advisors as well as inviting submissions to the suspension review process from key parties, ACC White decided that the conditions to justify suspension were not met.

"In smaller police forces senior police officers often make decisions about officers who work for them or with them. ACC White strongly refutes the claim that his decision was influenced or based upon anything other than the facts and evidence presented to him at the time of the decision making process."