Top officer faces new storm over
arrest of police wife

The fresh controversy surrounding suspended Cleveland chief Sean Price emerged as a police watchdog announced he would also be facing a disciplinary hearing into a string of gross misconduct allegations, including misuse of a corporate credit card and extravagant spending on foreign travel which were the focus of a Yorkshire Post investigation earlier this year.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) also revealed a new investigation has been launched into allegations surrounding the arrest of Mr Price’s wife, a fellow senior Cleveland Police officer, in Northallerton in April last year.

The inquiry is looking into allegations that Det Chief Insp Heather Eastwood failed to report her arrest by North Yorkshire Police to her own force as required.

It is also alleged that Mr Price also failed to report the arrest despite his knowledge of the incident.

No further action was taken following the arrest but Mrs Eastwood has now joined her husband in being suspended by the Cleveland force pending the outcome of the IPCC inquiry .

Neither Mr Price nor Mrs Eastwood, who live in North Yorkshire, would comment on the fresh inquiry yesterday.

The Yorkshire Post has previously revealed Mr Price spent more than £1,000 buying flowers on a corporate credit card and more than £55,000 in total over a five-year period.

Just over half the total was spent on hotel stays, with around £7,000 spent on restaurants – including nearly £3,000 spent in the upmarket Cleveland town of Yarm.

It was also previously revealed that more than £30,000 was spent on two trips to the United States and one to Estonia, all of which involved Mr Price and former Cleveland Police Authority chairman Dave McLuckie. Two also included Mrs Eastwood, who was the chief constable’s staff officer at the time but not his partner.

Mr Price has denied any wrongdoing in connection with the expenditure.

Last month it was announced Mr Price would face gross misconduct proceedings over allegations he used undue influence to help Coun McLuckie’s daughter to obtain a job with Cleveland Police.

The IPCC said Mr Price now faces 11 further matters of gross misconduct, including allegations surrounding the misspending of public money.

Cleveland Police Authority said a further seven matters of potential gross misconduct will be deferred pending the outcome of a long-running criminal inquiry into alleged corruption called Operation Sacristy. The operation is being run by Keith Bristow, head of the new National Crime Agency, but largely staffed by North Yorkshire Police.

Mr Price has been suspended since being arrested in August last year. He remains on police bail.

His deputy chief constable, Derek Bonnard, was arrested and suspended at the same time but he has now been released from police bail and it is understood he is unlikely to face any criminal charges.

Mr Bonnard does face disciplinary proceedings for six counts of gross misconduct, with two deferred until the outcome of the police inquiry.

He said: “My arrest was completely unjustified and the last year has been devastating for me and those that I love. I have done nothing wrong and I am extremely disappointed that a decision has been made to continue with the misconduct case which is based on identical allegations.”