Former head of UK police watchdog charged with child rape

London – Former head of the UK Police Surveillance Service, Michael Lockwood, has been charged with three counts of rape of a girl under the age of 16, the UK Public Prosecutor’s Office said on Friday. He has also been charged with six counts of indecent assault.

Lockwood, 64, ran the Independent Police Action Office (IOPC), which handles serious complaints against police in England and Wales from 2018 to 2022, the group said. The IOPC said on its website that it investigates “the most serious problems, including deaths after contact with the police”, and sets “criteria by which the police should handle complaints”.

Lockwood resigned in December after it was revealed he was under investigation.

The incident in which Lockwood is charged allegedly occurred between October 1985 and March 1986, prosecutors said Friday. Lockwood was in his 30s at the time. He is scheduled to appear in court on June 28.

“Mr. Lockwood categorically denies all these allegations from nearly 40 years ago,” said Emma Brooks, a partner at law firm PCB Burn. BBC News reported.

“He stands strong in his position and will continue to cooperate with the lawsuit,” Brooks said.

The charges come after a number of serious crimes committed by police officers undermined public confidence in British law enforcement and sparked protests across the United States.

2021, off-duty officer Wayne Cousins He kidnapped, raped and killed 33-year-old Sarah Everard as she was walking near her home. Before murdering her Everard, Ms Cousins ​​was accused of multiple indecent assaults, but was allowed to continue her job.

Earlier this year, another man, David Carrick, admitted to committing 24 rapes and sex crimes against 12 women while he was a police officer. He was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison.

report Over the past five years, more than 300 police officers in the UK have reported being raped, at a rate of one per week, and more than 500 have been sexually assaulted, according to a report released Thursday by investigative journalists. It has been reported for assault.

Ten of those accused of sexual assault have been convicted, but 350 of those reported are still working with the police, according to the Investigative Reporting Service. 250 cases have been reported multiple times.

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London – Former head of the UK Police Surveillance Service, Michael Lockwood, has been charged with three counts of rape of a girl under the age of 16, the UK Public Prosecutor’s Office said on Friday. He has also been charged with six counts of indecent assault.Lockwood, 64, ran the Independent Police Action Office (IOPC), which handles serious complaints against police in England and Wales from 2018 to 2022, the group said. The IOPC said on its website that it investigates “the most serious problems, including deaths after contact with the police”, and sets “criteria by which the police should handle complaints”.Lockwood resigned in December after it was revealed he was under investigation.

The incident in which Lockwood is charged allegedly occurred between October 1985 and March 1986, prosecutors said Friday. Lockwood was in his 30s at the time. He is scheduled to appear in court on June 28. “Mr. Lockwood categorically denies all these allegations from nearly 40 years ago,” said Emma Brooks, a partner at law firm PCB Burn. BBC News reported.

“He stands strong in his position and will continue to cooperate with the lawsuit,” Brooks said.The charges come after a number of serious crimes committed by police officers undermined public confidence in British law enforcement and sparked protests across the United States. 2021, off-duty officer Wayne Cousins He kidnapped, raped and killed 33-year-old Sarah Everard as she was walking near her home. Before murdering her Everard, Ms Cousins ​​was accused of multiple indecent assaults, but was allowed to continue her job.Earlier this year, another man, David Carrick, admitted to committing 24 rapes and sex crimes against 12 women while he was a police officer. He was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison.

report Over the past five years, more than 300 police officers in the UK have reported being raped, at a rate of one per week, and more than 500 have been sexually assaulted, according to a report released Thursday by investigative journalists. It has been reported for assault.Ten of those accused of sexual assault have been convicted, but 350 of those reported are still working with the police, according to the Investigative Reporting Service. 250 cases have been reported multiple times.

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Hayley Ott

Hayley Ott is an international reporter for CBS News based in London.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-lockwood-uk-independent-office-for-police-conduct-rape-minor/ Former head of UK police watchdog charged with child rape

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