Police officer in court charged with woman's rape

PC Joe Lavender appeared before magistrates in Bradford on Friday

A serving West Yorkshire Police officer has appeared in court charged with raping a woman.

PC Joe Lavender, 43, a Leeds-based officer, appeared before Bradford Magistrates' Court on Friday in relation to an alleged off-duty offence in Castleford on 21 January.

PC Lavender, of Orchard Grove, Castleford, had been suspended from duty, West Yorkshire Police said.

The case was adjourned by magistrates and PC Lavender is next due to appear at Bradford Crown Court on 1 November, where he indicated he would plead not guilty.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.