A LEADING supporter of suspended detective Ray Mallon has called on the Government to look into allegations of a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice at Cleveland Police.

Mr Mallon, who remains suspended from duty, made his outburst on a Radio Four programme yesterday.

He claimed there was a conspiracy being waged against him and went on to say lawyers had written to Jack Straw asking for a meeting to discuss the allegations.

Following the broadcast, Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland called for Mr Straw to get involved in the case.

He said: "This is yet another twist in the internal turmoil that is slowly wrecking Cleveland Police.

"We know have a crazy situation where Ray and his colleagues have been cleared of criminal allegations, but are still on indefinite suspension, another investigation as a result of an allegation by a senior member of the force's press office that deliberate leaking of sensitive documents was authorised by top managers of the force and now the considered view of Ray Mallon and his lawyers that a prima facie case of criminal conspiracy could be levelled over the way this whole affair has been handled.

"Jack Straw has said that he could only intervene if there were, in his own words, 'exceptional circumstances' within the Cleveland force.

"Put simply these must surely be exceptional circumstances. I have long argued for a full public inquiry into these matters and this is even more imperative now."