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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Lydia Chantler-Hicks and Tristan Kirk

Met Police officer charged with rape, strangulation and misconduct in public office

A Metropolitan Police officer accused of raping, strangling, and assaulting a woman has been remanded in custody after a first court hearing.

PC James Murray appeared in the dock at Westminster magistrates court on Thursday afternoon to face the charges for the first time.

It is said he Murray choked and bit the woman during sex, and he is accused of forcing her into non-consensual sex on one occasion.

The officer, who is suspended, faces claims he had sex while on duty, and he is also accused of having a cache of weapons at his home in Hemel Hempstead, including a knuckleduster, knives, a dagger, and CS gas spray.

The allegation of rape relates to a different part of Hertfordshire.

Scotland Yard announced the charges earlier on Thursday, saying Murray was arrested on Wednesday, taken into custody, and immediately suspended from duty.

In court, he spoke only to confirm his identity and shook his head repeatedly during the short hearing.

District Judge Louisa Ciecióra remanded him in custody until a hearing at Southwark crown court on a date to be set.

He is due to enter pleas to the charges on September 14.

Murray is charged with rape, non-fatal strangulation, actual bodily harm, misconduct in public office, possession of a firearm, and four counts of possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.

He did not enter any pleas today.

A Scotland Yard spokesperson said on Thursday: “A woman, who is known to PC Murray, is receiving support from specially trained officers.

“A referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”

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