POLICE OFFICER AMONG 16 CHARGED WITH HALIFAX CHILD SEX OFFENCES
A police officer and 15 other men have appeared at Bradford Magistrates' Court accused of sexual assaults against children.The charges, which include rape and supplying drugs, relate to offences against three teenage girls in Halifax between 2006 and 2009.
PC Amjad Ditta faces a single charge of sexual touching.
He and the other men were given bail and will appear at Bradford Crown Court on 20 January.
The victims were aged between 13 and 16 at the time.
District Judge Charlotte Holland said that the alleged offences were "too serious" to be dealt with by the magistrates' court and that it was necessary for them to be heard at crown court instead.
Mr Ditta, who was attached to West Yorkshire Police's Protective Services Operations, was a serving officer at the time of the alleged offence.
He has been suspended from duty, the force has previously said.
