The new mayor of Middlesbrough is controversial former police officer "Robocop" Ray Mallon.

He won with 26,362 votes and 62.78 per cent of the vote, a comprehensive victory over second place Labour candidate Sylvia Connolly who received 9653 votes.

The Liberal Democrats' Joe Michna took third place with 3820 and Ronald Darby of the Conservatives were left trailing in fourth place with 1510 votes. The turnout was 41.34 per cent.

"This is not my victory - this is a victory for the people of Middlesbrough," said Mallon. "The public of Middlesbrough, they have given us a mandate for change - and change they will get."

Mallon had been accused by senior Cleveland officers of running an "evil empire" and he left the force under the cloud of numerous allegations of misconduct.

Following his election he attacked Cleveland police for wasting millions of pounds on investigations into his affairs and "giving the streets back to the criminals".

In February this year Cleveland's chief constable, Barry Shaw, had accused Mallon of trying to discredit Operation Lancet, which examined allegations of wrongdoing in the force.

"He was at the centre of an empire of evil and desperate to suppress the truth," Shaw said.

But Mallon used his victory speech to blast his former colleagues.

"The public has delivered their verdict on a fiasco called Operation Lancet," he said.

It had been an ill-tempered election campaign and Mallon wasted no time in tackling his opponents, who he described as a minority of enemies.

"I know you will do everything you can to undermine me to try to ensure that I fail," he said. "If you do that then you will let the people of Middlesbrough down. If you can't change and let the past go then go because there's no place for you in Middlesbrough."

Famed for his "zero-tolerance" approach to tackling street crime as head of Middlesbrough CID, Mallon was courted by Tony Blair when New Labour was in opposition and keen to show it could be tough on crime.

But his career came to an abrupt halt in 1997 when he was suspended from Cleveland Police and charged with 14 offences. At the disciplinary hearing he pleaded guilty to the offences and resigned from the force, leaving him free to fight for the newly-created position of Middlesbrough mayor.

Mallon will now have wide-ranging decision making powers - he takes office on Monday.

As mayor he will make the key decisions about local services, including schools, care for the elderly, housing, roads and the environment.

His salary will be £30,000-per-year, the sum having been set following consideration by an independent panel.