A detective who dealt with Islington’s rape cases has been accused of faking witness statements.

Carl Ryan has been charged with misconduct following allegations relating to his time as detective constable in the borough’s Sapphire unit, which handles rape and sexual assault cases.

The 34-year-old is alleged to have signed witness statements himself, incorrectly told a suspect they would be prosecuted and failed to properly advance forensic investigations between 2010 and 2012.

The IPCC confirmed Ryan had been charged with misconduct during his time in Islington, when he was “leading a number of investigations into allegations of rape and sexual offence.”

Ryan will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on July 18.