Ex-Middlesbrough mayor Andy Preston has charges dropped

An ex-mayor says helium is "calling for answers" aft charges of not disclosing fiscal interests during his clip successful bureau were dropped.

Andy Preston, Middlesbrough's autarkic politician from 2019 to 2023, said it had been an "absolute scandal" charges were brought past week.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it dropped the lawsuit aft reviewing "additional evidence".

Cleveland Police person been approached for comment.

Mr Preston, 57, antecedently said the ailment alleged helium had breached rules by "not decently disclosing interests astatine immoderate meetings".

He said past the allegations were untrue, and added 3 of 5 unnamed councillors had since withdrawn their complaints.

Responding to quality the charges against him had been dropped, helium said it had been "an implicit scandal" constabulary progressed the substance to the CPS with a tribunal day past being acceptable for aboriginal this month.

Mr Preston added some organisations had made "disturbing errors of judgement" fixed the allegation "had already been proven mendacious by adept lawyers, who conducted an autarkic probe implicit respective months connected behalf of Middlesbrough Council".

"When the constabulary announcement was made past week, I knew I had done thing incorrect and instantly predicted with full assurance that the charges would beryllium dropped. That has present proved to beryllium the case.

"I privation answers - not conscionable for myself but due to the fact that this lawsuit raises superior questions astir the integrity of the transgression justness system, and it could hap to anyone."

In response, the CPS said prosecutors had carried retired their work by continuously reviewing each disposable evidence.

It added: "After the charges had been brought successful this case, the Crown Prosecution Service received further applicable accusation from those representing Mr Preston.

"We conducted a further reappraisal of the lawsuit with the inclusion of this worldly and recovered insufficient grounds to enactment immoderate transgression charges.

"We past took the due determination to discontinue the lawsuit against Mr Preston."

Mr Preston was ousted arsenic politician successful May, erstwhile Labour's Chris Cooke came retired connected apical by 760 votes with 10,956 to his rival's 10,196.