THE Chief Constable of Cleveland Police could face an investigation over claims false statements were submitted as part of a court case.

Police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has ordered Cleveland Police to record a complaint against its own chief constable, Jacqui Cheer.

A member of the public has made a complaint, part of which alleges that an official statement filed as part of a court case by Mrs Cheer contained false information.

Cleveland's Police and Crime Commissioner Barry Coppinger initially refused to record the complaint, dismissing it as being "vexatious", but following an appeal the IPCC has upheld that part of the official complaint, meaning it has to be officially recorded.

As a result it is understood that the issue will be investigated to determine if there is any truth in the allegations, although there is no investigation at present.

The IPCC letter, seen by The Northern Echo, dismisses two other complaints made as part of the same grievance, but upholds three points, one of which states: "False representations, connected with [an investigation], have been made in official documents presented within judicial proceedings".

Also upheld was that in May 2014 Mrs Cheer made a "false assertion" regarding the identity of a media leak, and that Deputy Chief Constable Iain Spittal, who is widely tipped to replace Mrs Cheer when she retires next year, "made a press release, with factual inaccuracies, in a direct attempt to undermine a legitimate police complaint" in 2014.

An IPCC spokeswoman said: "In July the IPCC received an appeal against a decision made by Cleveland Police and the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) not to record a complaint relating to a number of police officers including the Chief Constable Jacqui Cheer.

"Following an assessment we have partially upheld the appeal, directing Cleveland Police and the OPCC to record some elements of the original complaint."

The IPCC cleared the police and the Crime Commissioner of two other allegations that the chief officer or appropriate authority failed to make a decision about the allegations and that they failed to notify the appropriate authority.

A spokeswoman for Mr Coppinger's office said: "We can confirm that the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and Cleveland Police have been directed to record several complaints which were initially considered to be vexatious. We are considering the IPCC's decision."

She added: "There are no investigations into these complaints at the present time."