Four local police officers charged with conspiracy to pervert course of justice

Credit: ITV News/Liverpool Echo

Four Merseyside Police officers are due in court charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

One of the officers, PC Darren McIntyre, is also charged with assault causing actual bodily harm in relation to a violent arrest in the early hours of June 19 this year.

According to the charges, the four officers later conspired to pervert the course of justice by “falsifying and interfering with evidence.”

The arrest followed a callout to an address in Ainsdale, Sefton, where a 52-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.

It is understood, by the Liverpool Echo, that the man sustained bruising to his ribs and a black eye during his arrest, which was recorded on police body cameras.

The man was taken into custody and questioned, but later released without charge.

Following his release, the incident was reported to the force’s Professional Standards Department and an investigation resulted in charges being approved by the Crown Prosecution Service.

The four officers are all due to appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on January 6.

The force confirmed the charges had been brought against its officers but a spokeswoman said no statement would be provided while court proceedings are ongoing.