Ex-Cleveland PCC Barry Coppinger cleared in WhatsApp message row

The former crime commissioner of Cleveland has been cleared of wrongdoing after deleting work-related WhatsApp messages from his phone.

Barry Coppinger resigned in September after the county's chief constable Richard Lewis raised concerns about a Freedom of Information (FOI) breach.

But the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has concluded that Mr Coppinger did not commit a crime.

Mr Coppinger said the messages were "of a mundane, logistical nature".

The ICO said it had investigated whether Mr Coppinger had acted unlawfully by deleting the messages, which could have been relevant to a subsequent FOI request received by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC).

In a statement, the ICO said: "Following a review, it has been determined there exists no evidence of criminal intent to prevent disclosure of communications as requested.

"It has been further determined that the matter does not require further investigation and therefore the ICO will take no further action and the case will be closed.

"However, should the ICO be notified of any additional material or information they may choose to conduct a further review."

Before he resigned, Mr Coppinger said he had felt "under siege" following a damning report into Cleveland Police in 2018.

It was the first time a police force had been rated inadequate across all areas.

The OPCC thanked the ICO for its "detailed assessments".

"Mr Coppinger has been informed of the outcome of investigations and we will continue to ensure the appropriate support is available with regard to his wellbeing," it said in a statement.

"We wish him well in his retirement."

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