Police officer ‘raped member of the public over a four year period’

A police officer appeared in court today accused of raping and assaulting a female member of the public over a four year period.

Pc Mandeep Uppal, 32, of West Midlands Police, is accused of attacking the woman between January 2007 and November 2011.

Yesterday he appeared at Warwick Crown Court in Royal Leamington Spa where he denied five counts of rape and three of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Uppal, a practising Sikh, spoke only to confirm his name and deny the charges during the 20 minute hearing.

He was bailed until a future date when a five-day trial will take place.

Judge Richard Griffith-Jones said: “You will be bailed on the same conditions as before until a trial date can be arranged.

“A pre-trial review will follow between now and those dates.

“I must warn you that failure to attend a trial without reasonable excuse can be a crime punishable with prison whether or not you are guilty of this offence.

“Other consequences of not turning up is that it could convict you in your absence.”

Pc Uppal has been suspended from his job as a 999 responder in the Wednesfield and Wolverhampton areas of the West Midlands.

A force spokesman said: “We can confirm that the defendant is a serving police constable based at Wolverhampton police. The officer is currently suspended.”