PC Cliff Mitchell, 23, from the West Area Basic Command Unit of the Metropolitan Police, was charged on Thursday, 7 September with six counts of rape, one count of making threats to kill, and breaching a non-molestation order. He is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court later that same morning.
The investigation began after officers were called at 1.50pm on Tuesday, 5 September, following a distress report concerning a woman found in Longfield Avenue near London Road, Hackbridge. The woman reported that she had been attacked inside a residential property by a man she knew, who then forced her into a car.
Urgent police inquiries identified the suspect as a serving Metropolitan Police officer. PC Mitchell was off-duty at the time of the incident and his subsequent arrest.
Following the charges, PC Mitchell has been suspended from duty. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been notified of the case.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy commented: “These are horrific allegations and the victim is being supported by specially trained officers. Officers from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards, who specialise in domestic abuse and sexual offences, are conducting a thorough investigation. This is an active case and enquiries continue at pace.”
He added, “The arrest of a serving police officer on such serious charges is extremely concerning and will cause significant worry among London’s communities. I share those concerns and have made an immediate referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
