Serving Met Police officer denies rapes and kidnapping, court hears

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A serving Metropolitan Police officer has pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape, kidnapping two people and a breach of a non-molestation order, a court has heard.

Suspended Pc Cliff Mitchell, 23, appeared via video link from HMP Wandsworth to deny the eight counts during a brief preliminary hearing at Croydon Crown Court on Thursday.

He is accused of raping the same woman on occasions between April 2020 and September 2023, and of kidnapping her and another person last month.

Mitchell was wearing a grey jumper and a crucifix necklace and spoke to confirm his date of birth, enter his pleas and tell the judge he understood what he was saying.

Mitchell was not on duty when he was arrested in September, Scotland Yard has said.

Mitchell, from the Met’s West Area Basic Command Unit, has been suspended from duty and a referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct watchdog, the force has said.

Mitchell previously appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on September 7 charged with six counts of rape, one count of making threats to kill and one count of breaching a non-molestation order.

A CPS spokesperson said the sixth rape count from the earlier hearing is currently the subject of further investigation, and the threats to kill charge became one of the kidnap counts.

At that earlier hearing, the court heard allegations that Mitchell approached the woman with a knife last month and that she was then bundled into his car.

He will stand trial at the same court from February 5 2024, though Judge Michael Evans KC indicated that the case may be tried by a High Court judge.