Dramatic courtroom claim

THE man expected to be declared one of the region's first directly-elected mayors this morning has been accused of forcing a criminal to sell drugs.

The sensational claims about former Cleveland Police detective Ray Mallon were made yesterday at Leeds Crown Court.

They came from Paul Bryan, a former Teesside man accused of gunning down a former professional rugby player in a Leeds pub last year.

Supporters of Mr Mallon, who resigned from the force earlier this year after admitting 14 disciplinary charges, said earlier this week they expected him to receive at least 65 per cent of the votes in the mayoral race, which ended last night.

The allegations were made during 41-year-old Mr Bryan's trial for the murder of ex-Sheffield Eagles player David Nelson and his friend Joseph Montgomery, and the attempted murder of Andrew Nelson. He denies all charges.

The jury was told of his criminal past, which included minor convictions for burglary and theft.

Most of Mr Bryan's claims relate to alleged incidents on Teesside in the early 1990s.

"I was in custody at South Bank police station and he Mr Mallon wasn't involved in the case," he told the court.

"He came down to the cell and held a sawn-off shotgun out in front of him. He said 'I found this in your house'.

"I want information off you or I'll make statements I found it in your house."

Mr Bryan said he "grassed" on a man in a bid to avoid prison.

Asked by his barrister, Desmond de Silva, if that was the end of his relationship with Mr Mallon, he said: "No sir, he's been haunting me for ten years."

He claimed Mr Mallon forced him to sell drugs. "I thought he was stealing them from police stores or taking them when he arrested people."

But during cross-examination, Jeremy Richardson, prosecuting, accused Mr Bryan of making "outlandish and outrageous" allegations. Mr Bryan, who subsequently moved to Blackpool, was trying to create a "smoke-screen in order to cover up and divert attention away from the reality of this case", he said.

"You make all sorts of accusations against a person in this trial who can't defend himself, and just make as many outlandish, outrageous allegations as you can possibly muster. That's your game isn't it?" he said.

"No sir," Mr Bryan replied.

Mr Richardson said Mr Bryan had made 27 complaints against the police but only one had been upheld.

"You are a persistent complainer against the police, and in particular the Cleveland Police, who you think are as bent as a nine-bob note."

The defendant replied: "I know they are sir."

Earlier, the court was told how David Nelson, 38, was gunned down by a masked gunman in the Wilson's Arms pub in Seacroft, Leeds, on July 22 last year.

His brother, Andrew Nelson, witnessed the shooting and was shot at but escaped uninjured.

Joseph Montgomery, 40, was fatally wounded.

The trial continues today.

* The Northern Echo is unable to print the response of Mr Mallon - or those of his political opponents - to claims made in court while the case is proceeding, as it would risk prejudicing the trial.