Serving Met Police officer charged with rape and strangulation

A serving Metropolitan Police officer has been charged with two counts of rape, the force has announced.

PC Andrej Sagaidak, who was on his probation period and stationed in south-east London, was charged on Friday with two counts of rape, one count of non-fatal strangulation and one count of causing actual bodily harm.

An investigation was launched after the Met received a report that a man had been raped by another man at a residential property in Islington on Monday, 1 January.

The officer was reportedly off-duty at the time of the alleged offence.

PC Sagaidak appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, and was remanded in custody ahead of an appearance at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 2 February.

Detective Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry, responsible for policing in Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham admitted the charge was a “deeply concerning allegation” and acknowledged it would “cause significant concern.”

“We took immediate action when we received the report and the officer was suspended from duty following his arrest on Thursday,” he said.

The force said it was providing support to the victim as investigations continued, and that it had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.