Former IOPC chief accused of raping girl while working as Humberside lifeguard

The former head of the police watchdog has appeared in court charged with nine sexual offences against a teenage girl.

Michael Lockwood went before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London to face six counts of indecent assault and three of raping the 14-year-old in the 1980s.

Mark Langan, prosecuting, told the court the alleged offences took place between October 1985 and March 1986, when Mr Lockwood worked as a part-time lifeguard in the Humberside area.

Mr Lockwood stepped down as director general at the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in December after it emerged he was the subject of a police probe into allegations of sexual abuse.

The 64-year-old was the first director general appointed to lead the IOPC when it replaced the Independent Police Complaints Commission in 2018.

He was previously chief executive of the London Borough of Harrow in north-west London.

After the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, he was asked by a Government taskforce to lead recovery and remediation work, and liaise with bereaved families, survivors and the wider community.

Appearing in front of district judge Tan Ikram wearing a black suit and dark purple tie, Mr Lockwood spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.

His barrister Jacqueline Carey KC said her client had indicated not guilty pleas to all charges.

Mr Lockwood was granted unconditional bail, with a trial date set for 26 July at the Old Bailey.

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