CHESHIRE Police has paid out nearly £750,000 to officers and staff who have been suspended during the past three years.

Figures released to the Warrington Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act show that between April 2003 and March 2006, the force paid out the money to 51 of its staff.

And since the financial year 2003-2004 the amount that the police is paying has gone up. In that year, a total of £188,576 was paid out.

That was to cover the wages for two family protection staff, four patrol officers, a crime reduction advisor, manager, dog handler, four CID officers, a blue line member of staff and a member of the community action team.

Three officers, a detective sergeant, a detective constable and a police officer have all been suspended for nearly three years after being barred from duties on September 2, 2003. All were still suspended at the start of the current financial year.

During 2004-2005, the force paid out £241,491 to 17 members of staff including a trainer, technician, manager and communications officer as well as the police officers.

Some of those suspended in this year included community action team officer PC Ray Waring, who last year was cleared of a charge of rape but convicted of misconduct in a public office. His co-accused, PC Stephen McGuire, was also cleared of rape and was suspended on the same day.

In the last financial year of 2005-2006, the force paid out £284,826 to a total of 19 members of staff.

This included three CID officers, four patrol officers, three community action team officers and a community support officer, one manager, two probationers, one trainer, a detention officer, two targeted patrol team officers and a help desk officer.

At the start of the current year, eight of those staff were still on suspension.