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A police officer has been arrested over allegations of sexual assault involving a "number of potential victims".

The Cleveland Police officer was arrested at his home in Stockton-on-Tees on 2 March.

Some of the potential victims were asked to sign confidentiality notices "to preserve the integrity of the investigation", the force said.

The officer has been suspended and released under investigation, the force said.

'Confidentiality notes'

A Cleveland Police spokesman said: "In the early stages of the investigation a number of names of potential victims were revealed to Cleveland Police."

He said that "without further information", individuals were contacted and in some cases "were asked to sign confidentiality notices" while the investigation takes place.

"We are in the process of clarifying this with those individuals," the spokesman said.

The matter was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which returned it back to the force for local investigation.