SUSPENDED police facing charges of indecent assault and possessing drugs are costing taxpayers a quarter of a million pounds in one force alone.

Northumbria Police have come under fire after it was revealed that the force has 11 officers suspended on full pay.

Accusations range from downloading child pornography, social security fraud and perverting the course of justice.

The force denies that the "gardening leave" will affect police budgets.

Two sergeants earning £34,944 are suspended on suspicion of indecent assault. One has been on full pay for 15 months and the other for nine months.

Last night, justice and victim campaign groups expressed concern at the length of time some officers had been suspended.

Roger Smith, director of legal and human rights organisation Justice said: "In anyone's book, a year is a long time."

But the force insisted that the leave was necessary to protect the integrity of investigations.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show that, alongside Northumbria's 11 suspensions, neighbouring Durham has three, Lothian and Borders has two and Cleveland has one.

One officer, PC David Bright, 41, of Birtley, near Gateshead, resigned whilst suspended on allegations of downloading child pornography. He was jailed for eight months on July 29 after admitting 43 charges of downloading images.

In Durham, two constables are suspended on suspicion of assault and another is facing an allegation of harassment.

A spokesman for Cleveland, which has one officer suspended on theft allegations, said suspensions were rare.