A FORMER police boss has been cleared of intimidating a friend who had given evidence in a corruption investigation.

The 52-year-old was accused of using veiled threats to warn off Peter Blyth from giving evidence against him in a police corruption investigation.

Over three days, Newcastle Crown Court heard how the former chairman of Cleveland Police Authority visited his former friend on two occasions to try and glean information from him about his up coming perverting the course of justice trial.

But jurors heard the mood changed after McLuckie became agitated when he learned Mr Blyth had given a statement to officers from Operation Sacristy, an ongoing investigation into allegations of corruption involving people with past associations with Cleveland Police.

Today he was cleared of the charge, as well as the alternative of attempting to intimidate a witness.

Outside the court he hugged his partner in celebration.