The men all failed to appear in court in 2005 and 2006

Northumbria Police issued pictures of four suspected criminals who failed to show at court, but refused to say what charges they face.

A fifth man who also failed to attend court has since been arrested.

North East Conservative Euro-MP Martin Callanan hit out at the situation, describing it as "a farce".

The pictures, posted on the force's website, are accompanied by names and ages, but without any details of the alleged offences.

The people of the North East have a right to know what these men are wanted for MEP Martin Callanan

All five failed to show at various magistrates courts across the force area between May 2005 and June 2006.

One of the men, Colin Kell, 27, has since been arrested, but four others are still at large with warrants outstanding for their arrest.

The pictures released are of Christopher Brown, 23; Sean Barker, 26; Arhyel Zekre, 28, and Ronald Casey, 48.

Mr Kell has now been arrested on warrant and is due to face Sunderland Magistrates' Court charged with failing to appear.

Mr Callanan said: "I simply cannot understand why this information is not being released.

National guidance

"The people of the North East have a right to know what these men are wanted for.

"This is a farce and yet another instance of the rights of suspected criminals being put before those of the law-abiding population."

Northumbria Police deputy chief constable, Dave Warcup, said: "The disclosure of photographs to the media in such circumstances is governed by national guidance which clearly states, 'We do not recommend including the original offence for which the defendant is sought'."

A Home Office spokesman said: "It must be for the individual police force to decide whether or not to publish the photograph of a wanted criminal or to publish information about their offences.

"Nothing in the Human Rights Act prevents publishing a photograph or information about an escaped criminal if he presents a danger to the public."