Middlesbrough mayor 'exonerated' as council ends porn investigation

Middlesbrough’s independent mayor Andy Preston accused over picture of naked woman on his office computer says he has been exonerated as council ends £50,000 15-month investigation

• Andy Preston claimed he was ‘exonerated’ watching porn on his work computer
• The mayor of Middlesbrough, 54, said the investigation was a ‘waste of money’
• He had been accused of having an ‘image of a naked woman’ on his screen 

The mayor of Middlesbrough has said he was ‘exonerated’ of claims he watched porn on his work computer.

The investigation into Andy Preston, 54, has finished, with the independent mayor claiming it was a ‘colossal waste of time and money’.

He said the 15-month investigation that spent around £50,000 was trying to ‘blacken my good name’.

The mayor of Middlesbrough previously denied claims he watched pornography on his work computer amid allegations a council chief executive ‘saw an image of a naked woman’ on his screen.

Middlesbrough mayor Andy Preston (pictured) refused to resign and insisted that allegations he viewed an ‘inappropriate image’ are part of a ‘dirty tricks’ campaign to bring him down

He said: ‘After a colossal waste of time and money – stretching back to October 2020 and probably costing £100,000 in time and money – an independent law firm found absolutely no evidence to suggest I even knew about an alleged but not reported image of a naked woman on my office computer.

‘In fact the report has confirmed I wasn’t even in the building on the morning the image was allegedly seen and I hadn’t been since the previous day.

‘I’m delighted the truth has come out but I can’t pretend it hasn’t been incredibly stressful and hurtful for me and my family.’

Mr Preston had refused to resign as he insisted that allegations he viewed an ‘inappropriate image’ are part of a ‘dirty tricks’ campaign to bring him down.

Middlesbrough Council investigated claims a senior member of staff saw an image of a ‘naked woman’ when they visited Mr Preston’s office.

It is claimed the image was on his computer screen and could be seen from the door of the empty room.

Staff at the town hall were required to take the image down, the complaint alleged.

The mayor furiously denied viewing any ‘inappropriate image’, claiming it was the council’s Chief Executive Tony Parkinson who alleges he saw a ‘GIF-like image of a naked woman’.

In a lengthy Facebook post, he alleged the complaint is an orchestrated political plot by his rivals in the town’s Labour party, who he calls ‘a gang’ and directly accused MP Andy McDonald of trying to smear his name.

Middlesbrough Council’s Chief Executive Tony Parkinson (left) and MP Andy McDonald (right)

He said at the time: ‘Sinister things are happening to try and force me to resign.

Mr Preston added his ‘conscience is clear and I have absolutely nothing to hide,’ following an official complaint by Mr McDonald.

He said: ‘I’ve decided to go public with my side of this truly bizarre story after the press published details of allegations made about me by Middlesbrough’s Labour MP Andy McDonald.

‘It will give people an inkling of the dirty tricks and twisted underhand tactics that seems to be the accepted norm of politics in Middlesbrough.

‘First and foremost, I have never and will never be so stupid as to view inappropriate material in a work environment.

‘Recently I was alerted to an alleged event that supposedly took place ‘about a year ago’. I was never made aware of the alleged event and I wasn’t even there when it happened.

Andy Preston (pictured) made headlines in October for urging locals not to follow the Government’s ‘unjust, cruel and illogical’ local lockdown

‘What appeared to kick off this episode was an anonymous letter that was sent recently to the deputy mayor warning him of a political plot against me and referring to a rumour of inappropriate material on my computer screen.

‘I alerted the council’s Chief Executive to this letter and asked him if he knew what this might refer to.

‘Initially he said no, but then said it may relate to an incident that happened ‘about a year ago’ while I was out of the office at a meeting miles away.’

Mr McDonald said the investigation heard Mr Preston was ‘solely responsible for the security of his personal device and for the images on view’.

A Middlesbrough Council spokesman said: ‘This matter has now been concluded and the parties involved have been informed of the outcome.

‘It would be inappropriate to make any further comment in relation to the process or opinions expressed by others.’ 

Mr Preston was elected mayor in 2019, having first stood and narrowly lost in 2015.

The businessman was previously a high-profile philanthropist in Teesside before going into politics.   

MailOnline has contacted all involved parties for comment.

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