Serving Met Police officer in court charged with rape

PC Sagaidak, who has been suspended from duty, appeared before Westminster magistrates earlier, the Met said

A serving Metropolitan Police officer has appeared in court charged with two counts of rape.

PC Andrej Sagaidak, from the south-east London policing team, has also been charged with non-fatal strangulation and causing actual bodily harm.

The Met said the case relates to a report a man was raped at a home in Islington, north London, last Monday.

PC Sagaidak, who has been suspended from duty, appeared before Westminster magistrates earlier, the Met said.

He is due to appear at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 2 February, the force added.

Det Ch Supt Trevor Lawry, who is responsible for policing in Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham, said: "This is a deeply concerning allegation and I know it will cause significant concern.

"We took immediate action when we received the report and the officer was suspended from duty following his arrest on Thursday."

The force said its investigation was ongoing and PC Sagaidak was off-duty at the time of the alleged offences.

The Met has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct following the allegations.

Follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]