Serving Met officer charged with rape of woman on Brighton beach

27 May 2022, 19:55 | Updated: 27 May 2022, 21:20

A serving Metropolitan Police officer has been charged with rape after a woman reported being raped on Brighton beach.

Laurence Knight, who's 33, was arrested on July 28 last year, after a woman reported being raped on the beach 11 days earlier, and was released on bail.

The officer, who is attached to Met Detention, was not on duty at the time.

He has now been charged by Sussex Police and released on bail while enquiries continue.

He will appear at Brighton and Hove Magistrates' Court on 23 June.

Chief Superintendent Pete Gardner, in charge of Met Detention said: "We know people will rightly be concerned to hear about this very serious charge against a serving police officer.

"We absolutely share that concern and I am thankful to Sussex Police for their thorough investigation and the continued specialist support they are providing to the victim.

"The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards are fully aware and misconduct matters will be dealt with once the criminal proceedings have concluded. The officer is suspended from duty."

The Met has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which said the misconduct investigation should be led by the Met.