Met officer accused of raping victim who dialled 999

A Met police officer has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman who had dialled 999 for help after an assault.

The police constable was with several officers who went to the woman's flat in Bromley after she was allegedly assaulted by her boyfriend in a drunken argument.

The officer, who is in his 30s, was left alone with the woman after his colleagues arrested her boyfriend for assault.

The policeman then stayed with her and gave her half a bottle of whisky to drink before he allegedly forced her to perform a sex act.

The woman, who is in her twenties, later dialled 999 again and police returned to her home.

She was said to be "distraught" after the experience and was taken to a rape counselling suite for examination.

The officer who is based at a south London police station was subsequently arrested and is now on bail while the incident is investigated.

A Met Police spokesman said: "A police constable was arrested on Saturday 19 September on suspicion of raping a woman whilst on duty.

"He was taken to a south London police station and has been bailed to return in November pending further inquiries by officers from the Metropolitan Police's Directorate of Professional Standards."

The incident comes as the Independent Police Complaints Commission reports a 30 per cent rise in the number of complaints of sex assaults by police in the UK.

There were 114 complaints of sex attacks last year, 32 of them in the Met.

Senior IPCC sources say there is concern at the numbers of officers who appear to be taking advantage of women in vulnerable positions.

They believe the figures show that more women are prepared to make complaints rather than reflecting an increase in the numbers.

One source said: "It shows there was always a problem but the extent is now only becoming clear. The numbers are comparatively low but this is police officers abusing their position of trust with people who are vulnerable."