OFFICERS serving with a North-East police force could face criminal charges over the use of CS spray.

James Gergely spent two days in hospital receiving treatment for burns and blisters after being sprayed in 1999.

A spokeswoman for the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) revealed yesterday that crown prosecution lawyers are considering whether to charge the Cleveland Police officers responsible for the treatment meted out to 27-year-old Mr Gergely, of Eston, near Middlesbrough.

The same police force has come in for criticism over its use of CS gas in the separate case of a man who had asked the police for help.

Barry Atkins, of Whinney Banks, Middlesbrough, twice called police to a domestic incident but ended up being arrested, sprayed, and held in custody for more than 30 hours.

The PCA has upheld his claim of wrongful arrest, in May 1999, and misuse of the spray.

As a result, one officer will receive a written warning about his conduct and another a verbal ticking off from Assistant Chief Constable Della Cannings.

The PCA spokeswoman said: "The authority found that Mr Atkins was unlawfully arrested, excessive force was used upon him by an officer, and an officer was uncivil and unprofessional in his dealings with him. It also should found that Mr Atkins should not have been restrained with handcuffs and sprayed with CS."

Cleveland Police said it would be inappropriate to comment about either case.

Earlier this year, Judge Michael Taylor described as a "public disgrace" the treatment meted out to Craig Vincent, who went to the aid of a man who had fallen and ended up being sprayed with CS gas and held in custody for five hours.