Derek Seekings: Surrey Police sergeant raped woman during break

Surrey Police's headquarters in Guildford

A retired police sergeant has been found guilty of raping a woman twice, including once while he was on duty.

Derek Seekings was told he would face jail after being convicted of two counts of rape between 1994 and 2000.

Seekings, from Hampshire, had served with Surrey Police until 2005. The 66-year-old had denied the offences.

Prosecutor Jennifer Gray told Brighton Crown Court that one of the attacks took place while Seekings was on a break from work.

She said: "She made it very clear to him she didn't want to have sex with him. He carried on regardless and he raped her."

Seekings then returned to work, the court heard.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was left "very upset and distressed about what had gone on", the prosecutor said.

'Extremely serious offences'

The jury was told that Seekings was suspended from duty for a number of months and demoted to PC in the late 1990s following a car accident, which led to a driving conviction.

Judge Stephen Mooney adjourned the case for sentencing at Lewes Crown Court next Wednesday.

Seekings, of Southern Way, Farnborough, was released on bail until then.

Judge Mooney told the defendant: "You have been convicted of two extremely serious offences, you are aware the only sentence I am going to be able to impose on you is a custodial sentence of some length."

Temporary Assistant Chief Constable of Surrey Police, Alison Barlow, said: "We expect extremely high standards of behaviour from our officers and staff - standards which Seekings fell woefully below. His behaviour was simply reprehensible."

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