The crimes are alleged to have been committed between 1985 and 1986. (Representative)
London:
The former head of Britain’s independent police watchdog has been accused of rape and sexual assault, prosecutors said Friday.
Michael Lockwood, 64, stepped down as director-general of the independent Office for Police Investigations (IPOC) regulator last December when the police investigation was launched.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which brings up prosecutions in England and Wales, said he would face six charges of indecent assault on a girl under 16 and three charges of rape.
It states that these crimes were committed between 1985 and 1986.
Lockwood is due to appear before magistrates in Hull, northern England, on 28 June.
His resignation came as IPOC attempted to rebuild public trust in the police following a series of high-profile scandals.
The body was set up in 2018 to deal with complaints of police misconduct in England and Wales, with Lockwood in charge.
It has since reported incidents of police racism and sexism, as well as the excessive use of Taser stun weapons on black people.
Police misconduct has recently focused on London’s Metropolitan Police after one of its officers was jailed for kidnapping, rape and murder.
Another confessed to being a serial rapist. Since then both have been jailed for life.
A spokeswoman for the IOPC said it was aware of the CPS’ decision to charge Lockwood, but could not comment further as criminal proceedings were active.
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