A current officer from the Metropolitan Police has been accused of raping a woman during his off-duty hours, according to a statement from Scotland Yard.

Police Constable Rupert Edwards, a member of the South West Command Unit, received formal charges on March 19 after an investigation into claims made in 2023.

He is scheduled to appear in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

PC Edwards has been placed on suspension, and the Metropolitan Police’s Directorate of Professional Standards has been notified, as indicated by a spokesperson for the police force.