Michael Lockwood, former director general of the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOCP) was charged with six counts of indecent assault and three counts of rape of a girl under the age of 16. The offences are alleged to have taken place in the 1980s when Lockwood was in his 20s.
Michael Lockwood previously oversaw police operations and conduct in England and Wales from 2018 to late 2022. He was forced to resign in December when the police investigation went public. Mr Lockwood has denied all charges
The offences are alleged to have taken place between October 1985 and March 1986, according to the Crown Prosecution Service, when Lockwood was in his late 20s.
Many officers such as Wayne Couzens and David Carrick have been allowed to continue working as police officers despite allegations of rape. Wayne Couzens was charged with kidnapping, raping, and murdering Sarah Everard in 2021 when he was off duty. He had many allegations of indecent exposure prior to these offenses, yet he was allowed to continue working as a police officer. David Carrick was recently sentenced to a minimum thirty years in prison for 24 counts of rape and sexual offenses while he was a police officer. The events surrounding Lockwood’s time as head of the IOCP has led to an increased distrust in the police.
‘The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Lockwood are active and that he has the right to a fair trial,’ said head of special crime division Rosemary Ainslie, stressing the importance of fairness and the presumption of innocence.
Lockwood’s lawyer stated that he ‘strenuously denies all of these allegations from nearly 40 years ago and ‘will strongly defend his position and will continue to co-operate with the proceedings.’
