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Four Merseyside Police officers are due in court charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, the ECHO can exclusively reveal.

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 Cherry Road, Ainsdale , Sefton, where a 52-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.

The ECHO understands the man sustained bruising to his ribs and a black eye during his arrest, which was recorded on police body-cameras.

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

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.

PC McIntyre, 45, and his colleagues PCs Garrie Burke, 43, Laura Grant, 34, and Lauren Buchanan-Lloyd, 24, 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.