Met Police officer charged with two counts of rape

The charges relate to two women aged in their 20s and 30s,

A Met Police officer has been charged with two counts of rape and is due to appear in court on Friday. PC Rupert Edwards was arrested on suspicion of rape on 5 September and subsequently bailed and suspended from duty before being arrested again on Thursday on suspicion of rape. He has since been charged with two counts of rape and is due to appear in custody at Westminster Magistrates' Court later today. Commander Jon Savell, in charge of the Met's professionalism command, said in a statement: "This news is deeply worrying and I recognise the concern it will cause the public and other police officers. "We took immediate action to suspend PC Edwards from duty when he was first arrested in September. "Legal proceedings are now active and it is important that I do not comment while that process takes place." The charges relate to two women aged in their 20s and 30s, who are being supported by specially trained officers. The offences are alleged to have occurred in Lambeth on 26 August, and in Surrey on 5 September, while the officer was off-duty. The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards and the Independent Office for Police Conduct have been informed. Related links:

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