COMPLAINTS against Essex Police have increased by 23 per cent over the past year.

Among the most serious cases under investigation are the delays in tackling paedophile teacher Martin Goldberg and the case of a man who had a heart attack and died after being restrained by police.

The latest quarterly report on complaints, misconduct and related matters shows 478 complaints were made against the force between July and September this year – 90 more than during the same period last year.

The total number of complaints for the 12 months to September 2014 was 1,690.

Other serious complaints including one from a domestic abuse victim who claimed she was seriously sexually assaulted by a former partner, after police failed to arrest the man for breaching a restraining order.

Essex Police and Crime Commissioner Nick Alston, described some of the cases as “of deep concern”.

He added: “I am very conscious that, during a period of considerable financial pressure, the vast majority of Essex Police officers and staff continue to go the extra mile to prevent harm, support victims and bring dangerous criminals to justice.

“However, for too long, police forces have not always been completely forthcoming when things go wrong or where serious misconduct has occurred.

“I believe being open and transparent about these matters will enable our police forces to maintain the full support of the public which, overwhelmingly, Essex Police deserves.”

Both the serious cases highlighted in the report have been passed to the Independent Police Complaints Commission for a full investigation.

At the time the report was submitted to Mr Alston, five Essex officers were suspended for various reasons.

The commissioner added: “I will continue to praise the excellent work of Essex Police, but I will also continue to address challenging issues, and support the Chief Constable and everyone in the force who believes the highest professional standards are essential.”

A force spokesman insisted it aimed to deal “robustly” with allegations of misconduct against “rogue individuals”.

A change in the rules means officers who resign while facing gross misconduct charges or have been dismissed for gross misconduct are now routinely banned ban from being taken on any other force.

The spokesman added: “Integrity is something which is the responsibility of every member of staff and the force has put in place procedures to ensure they feel confident about coming forward with information.

“Support networks are in place to assist anyone who wishes to report individual conduct matters or collective failures.”

PROBE INTO SERIOUS CASES

ALLEGED serious failures by police in south Essex over the past three months include:

- The strip-search case concerns a16-year-old boy of African-Caribbean origin from Southend, who complained of being was in Beach Road, Southend, taken to an unmarked police van in a car park and stripped.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is now looking into his complaint.

- The commission is also looking into claims it took police a month to arrest a man who had breached a court order banning him from going near a woman he abused in May.

Police are said to have been told of three breaches of the order before officers acted. During the final incident, the woman alleges she suffered a serious sexual assault.

- The force is also under investigation over the nine months it took between hearing of Thorpe Hall School deputy head teacher Martin Goldberg’s paedophile activities and interviewing him.

Mr Goldberg killed himself in September after police finally started an investigation.

- The commission is also investigating the events which led to the death of a man after he was restrained by police in South Ockendon. The man later suffered cardiac arrest and died 24 hours later, on August 29.