SUSPENDED police chief Ray Mallon's attempts to become Middlesbrough's first directly-elected mayor could be scuppered as his disciplinary proceedings have been adjourned until the New Year.

The news comes exactly four years to the day that Detective Superintendent Mallon was suspended by the £7m Operation Lancet anti-corruption investigation.

It emerged last night that the former head of Cleveland Police CID will not be able to stand in the forthcoming elections while he remains a serving police officer.

Det Supt Mallon has already been told by Chief Constable Barry Shaw that he cannot resign from the force until he answers charges stemming from Operation Lancet.

The Northern Echo understands that a preliminary hearing - which was expected to be completed in November - has been adjourned.

It may not now begin until early February.

The preliminary hearing is expected to last a number of weeks.

There would then be a gap of another couple of weeks while the papers are prepared for the start of the main disciplinary hearing.

This timetable would take Det Supt Mallon past the April 2 deadline for mayoral candidates to be nominated.

A Home Office spokes-man confirmed that under police regulations a member of a police force could not take an "active part in politics".

June Goodchild, a long time supporter of the officer dubbed Robocop, said: "We cannot name names but we know that people are using tactics to keep Ray as a police officer because he cannot be a political figure at the same time.

"Whether that is out of jealousy or because he has had the guts to go out and speak the truth we don't know."

Det Supt Mallon has been cleared of any criminal wrong-doing but still faces 14 disciplinary charges.

Last night he told The Northern Echo that he had anticipated he would be "long gone" from Cleveland Police by the end of November at the latest.

Det Supt Mallon said: "My total focus is twofold at the present time.

"Firstly, it is on fighting the disciplinary proceedings for as long as I can and secondly, on standing as the elected mayor of Middlesbrough.

"This is on the basis that I believe a lot of people voted "yes" at the referendum for a mayor because they believed that my name would be on the ballot paper.

"I do not intend to let them down in any circumstances."

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