Serving Met Police cop, 30, to stand trial accused of raping two women in the space of 11 days
A MET Police officer has been accused or raping two women in the space of 11 days.
PC Rupert Edwards, 30, worked with one of his alleged victims in the force and met the other on the night the offence is said to have happened.
One woman is in her 20s while the other is in her 30s.
He is said to have raped his first alleged victim in Epsom, Surrey on August 26 while the second woman was allegedly raped in Lambeth, South London on September 5.
Appearing in the dock of Inner London Crown Court today, he spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth, and to reply "not guilty" when each rape charge was read to him by the court clerk.
Wearing a dark blue suit, purple tie and white shirt, he appeared to show little emotion during the 35-minute hearing, which dealt largely with administrative matters .
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Gordon Ross, prosecuting, made few representations to the court other than to deal with administrative matters.
Scotland Yard said the cop, who is attached to the South West Basic Command Unit, was arrested on suspicion of rape on 5 September - the day of the second alleged attack.
He was bailed and suspended from duty.
He was arrested on further suspicion of rape on December 8 and charged with two counts of rape on December 9.
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Later that day he appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court where he was remanded into custody.
At a hearing last week he was granted bail on condition that he lives and sleeps at his aunt's address in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, with an electronically-monitored curfew between 8pm and 8am.
He is also banned from entering the M25 area except to attend court or meetings with lawyers, or contacting his alleged victims or prosecution witnesses.
He was bailed on the same terms today but his curfew, which did not include his garden, was changed so he can let his dog out.
Judge Usha Karu, Honorary Recorder of Southwark, set a provisional trial date of 3 October.
She told him: "Your trial is fixed for October 3. You remain on conditional bail as before.
"Make sure that you stay in touch with your lawyers and comply with your bail conditions that I have modified."
At the time he was charged Commander Jon Savell, who is in charge of the Met's professionalism command, said: "This news is deeply worrying and I recognise the concern it will cause the public and other police officers.
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"We took immediate action to suspend PC Edwards from duty when he was first arrested in September.
"Legal proceedings are now active and it is important that I do not comment while that process takes place."