Rape charges dropped against senior Bedfordshire Police officer Mo Aziz

A senior police officer accusd of rape and coercive and controlling behaviour has had the charges against him dropped.

Chief Insp Mo Aziz, of Bedfordshire Police, had been charged with four counts of rape, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and coercive and controlling behaviour.

He was also charged with causing a female to engage in sexual activity, and two counts of disclosing or threatening to disclose private sexual photographs/film with intent to cause distress.

Mr Aziz denied all of the charges and was due to stand trial later this year, however, on Tuesday the Crown Prosecution Service stopped its prosecution, said Bedfordshire Police.

It concluded there was no longer sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and Mr Aziz was formally acquitted by a judge at Southwark Crown Court, added the force.

Bedfordshire Police said it would be proceeding with a conduct investigation and Mr Aziz remained suspended pending the outcome.

He has been suspended since the allegations were made against him in July 2022.

In 2020, Mr Aziz was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his work to improve diversity in Bedfordshire Police.

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