A serving Metropolitan Police officer has ’emphatically denied’ rape, after appearing in court on Monday morning.
Pc David Carrick attended Hatfield Magistrates Court via video link and was accused of attacking a woman he met on Tinder last year.
Carrick was arrested on Saturday and suspended from duty on the same day.
The 46-year-old was off-duty at the time of the alleged incident, when the pair went for drinks on September 4, 2020 in St Albans, police say.
Scotland Yard confirmed that Carrick – from Stevenage and based in the Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command – was charged with rape by Hertfordshire Constabulary on Sunday.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said this weekend: ‘I am deeply concerned to hear the news today that an officer from the Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command has been arrested and now charged with this serious offence.
‘I fully recognise the public will be very concerned too.
‘Criminal proceedings must now take their course so I am unable to comment any further at this stage.’
Carrick is due to appear at St Albans Crown Court on November 1.
The chief crown prosecutor of CPS Thames and Chiltern has warned people not to prejudice the case.
Malcom McHaffie said on Sunday: ‘The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has a right to a fair trial.
‘It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.’
