Senior police officer cleared of rape charges

The CPS has dropped the charges against the officer

A senior police officer charged with offences including multiple rapes has been cleared.

Ch Insp Mohammed Aziz, of Bedfordshire Police, denied the charges and was due to stand trial later this year, but he was formally acquitted by a judge at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday.

After a review, the Crown Prosecution Service concluded there was no longer sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.

Mr Aziz, 48, remains suspended from work pending the outcome of a misconduct investigation, according to the Bedfordshire force.

He was charged with four counts of rape, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, coercive and controlling behaviour, causing a female to engage in sexual activity, and two counts of disclosing or threatening to disclose private sexual photographs or film with intent to cause distress.

The charges related to allegations between 2015 and 2022.