Officers charged with conspiracy

Sultan Alam says he was wrongly jailed

Three serving police officers and a former officer have been charged over allegations by an ex-constable that he was set up for a crime he did not commit.

Sultan Alam was jailed for 18 months and dismissed from Cleveland Police after being found guilty of conspiracy to steal motor vehicle parts at Teesside Crown Court in 1996.

But the Middlesbrough traffic officer subsequently continued to protest his innocence and complain that he had been framed.

Senior officers from neighbouring Northumbria Police were brought in to investigate after the father-of-two reported his allegations to the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).

A detailed file was handed to the Crown Prosecution Service last year naming 12 people in connection with the alleged conspiracy, but a decision was taken not to proceed against eight of them.

'Complex file'

The serving officers have now been suspended and all four are due to appear before Teesside magistrates in Middlesbrough in July.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said: "Three serving Cleveland Police officers and one former officer were this afternoon charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

"Two of the serving officers face additional charges of perjury.

"The third serving officer is also accused of incitement to commit theft.

"The charges follow consideration by the Crown Prosecution Service of a complex and detailed file investigating claims by former Cleveland constable Sultan Alam about his arrest and subsequent trial in 1996.

"The file was submitted to the CPS in April last year. All three serving officers were today suspended from duty.

"All four are due to appear before Teesside Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 9 July."