A serving Metropolitan Police officer has been charged with the rape of a man on New Year’s Day.

PC Andrej Sagaidak was in his probation period and attached to the local policing team in south east London at the time of the allegation.

An investigation was launched after police received a report from a man that he had been raped at a home in Islington on January 1.

PC Sagaidak was subsequently charged with two counts of rape, one count of non-fatal strangulation and one count of causing actual bodily harm.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday (January 6) where he was remanded in custody to appear at Snaresbrook Crown Court on February 2.

Detective Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry, who is responsible for policing in Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham, said: "This is a deeply concerning allegation and I know it will cause significant concern.

"We took immediate action when we received the report and the officer was suspended from duty following his arrest on Thursday."

Police added that the officer was not on-duty at the time of the alleged offence and that a mandatory referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

PC Sagaidak has been suspended from duty.