A FORMER police chief has had his name cleared following a complaint that arose out of an anti-corruption probe.

All allegations made against Cleveland Police's ex-assistant chief constable Dave Earnshaw have been found to be unsubstantiated.

Tom Williamson, deputy chief constable of Nottinghamshire, was called in by the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) to investigation allegations arising out of the anti-corruption probe, Operation Lancet, and related Operation Dollar inquiry.

The PCA has now issued a statutory certificate of satisfaction in connection with the Williamson probe, and Cleveland Police Authority yesterday agreed that no further action should be taken.

Mr Earnshaw declined to comment on being cleared by the inquiry.

The revelation came as Mr Earnshaw came under attack during a special Parliamentary debate yesterday.

Middlesbrough South MP Ashok Kumar complained after Mr Earnshaw took up a newly-created civilian post with the force just days after quitting as assistant chief constable.

Dr Kumar claimed this was a "jobs for the boys attitude" but Home Office minister Charles Clarke insisted Cleveland Police had done nothing wrong.

Dr Kumar also clashed over the cost of Operation Lancet which, he insists, is now almost £4.5m - an allegation denied by the force.

Mr Earnshaw, who had twice previously deferred his retirement, is continuing work - as a civilian - on the four-year-old Operation Teak, which is investigating alleged links between a number of police officers and drugs informer Brian Charrington, from Middlesbrough.

Mr Earnshaw replaced deputy chief constable Robert Turnbull, who took early retirement before landing a top police job in the Turks and Cacos Islands.