SUSPENDED supercop Ray Mallon has made a formal complaint direct to the Home Secretary that senior officers have conspired to pervert the course of justice.

The detective superintendent has turned the tables by asking solicitors to write to Jack Straw alleging the conspiracy against him.

Members of Mr Mallon's legal team say they have compiled evidence to back their claims and have asked for a meeting with Mr Straw.

The criminal complaint was made four weeks ago by Mr Mallon's solicitor, Mike Hymanson, of the Manchester firm Rowe and Cohen.

Mr Mallon reveals the latest development in an interview with John Humphrys to be broadcast on the Radio Four programme On the Ropes today.

It was announced last week that the Cleveland Police Authority has ordered an investigation into claims that Chief Constable Barry Shaw and others within Cleveland Police were engaged in a dirty tricks campaign against Mr Mallon.

A senior civilian employee has used protection under the Public Interest Disclosure Act to claim, among other things, that Mr Shaw was implicated in the leaking to the press of a confidential Treasury Counsel report. The document, highly critical of the Zero Tolerance policing style championed by Mr Mallon, appeared in a national newspaper on the day he called a press conference having been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing.

The complaint was made by Joanne Malone, who has worked for Cleveland Police for 13 years and is now head of Cleveland Police's media and public affairs department.

Cleveland Police Authority has appointed Michael Hedges, Chief Constable of South Yorkshire, to investigate Mr Shaw who will remain in his post during the probe.

Mr Mallon was suspended in 1997 as part of Operation Lancet a probe into alleged corruption within Cleveland Police and accused of "alleged activity that could be construed as criminal".

In June, the Crown Prosecution Service announced Mr Mallon had been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing, but the Chief Constable has kept him suspended while disciplinary issues are finalised.

Mr Mallon said: "I can confirm that my solicitor forwarded a letter last month to the Home Secretary complaining that senior figures within Cleveland Police had conspired to pervert the course of justice with regard to investigations in relation to my case.

"This is obviously a very serious step and one not taken lightly.

"Having made such serious allegations, I expect them to be investigated with vigour.

"As I have said in the past, I want the whole truth to come out in relation to Lancet and my treatment.

"The best way for this to happen is for the Home Secretary to set up a public inquiry at the earliest opportunity."

A Home Office spokesman confirmed the letter had been received and said a fuller statement was likely to be released later this month