Former head of police watchdog 'shocked' at sex claims

Michael Lockwood, from Epsom, Surrey, faces 17 charges

The former head of the police watchdog has told of his "shock" at historic sex claims, saying he stepped down from his high-profile role as it was "the right thing to do".

Michael Lockwood, from Epsom, Surrey, faces 17 charges, for three rapes and 14 indecent assaults, relating to two 14-year-old girls some 40 years ago.

At the time, he was in his 20s and worked part-time at a leisure centre near Hull, where he allegedly met and sexually abused the girls.

Mr Lockwood went on to have a "distinguished" career in local government before becoming director general of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the police complaints watchdog for England and Wales.

One of the alleged victims, now in her 50s, came forward to claim she was repeatedly raped in a store cupboard and indecently assaulted in Mr Lockwood's Ford Capri.

A second woman later alleged Mr Lockwood indecently assaulted her in a male toilet cubicle at the leisure centre and in the back of his mother's car after she turned 15.

Giving evidence on Friday at the Old Bailey, Mr Lockwood told jurors how his public profile was heightened around 2021 after police officer Wayne Couzens murdered Sarah Everard and a young black man named Chris Kaba was fatally shot.

'Somebody I loved'

Mr Lockwood said: "I was absolutely shocked. I did not recognise the name of the individual. Secondly, this related to events some 45 years ago."

On being interviewed about the second woman, he said he was "particularly upset" as they had been in a relationship.

He said: "It was somebody I loved. It was a long-standing relationship."

He insisted their sexual relationship began after she turned 16 and it was consensual.

Following the initial allegations, he decided to step down from his role at the IOPC in December 2022.

He told jurors: "I thought it was the right thing to do. There was a lot of press interest."

Mr Lockwood, 65, denies three counts of rape and six counts of indecent assault relating to the first complainant between October 1985 and March 1986.

He has pleaded not guilty to eight indecent assaults relating to the second complainant on dates between August 1979 and August 1981.

The trial continues.