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.
Among the accused is Mohammed Rizwan Iqbal, aged 34, who is charged with rape.
The case highlights serious allegations involving abuse of minors; the accused, including Iqbal, are from Halifax.
Amjad Ditta, a serving police officer at the time, has been suspended from duty.
District Judge Charlotte Holland stated that the alleged offences were 'too serious' to be dealt with by magistrates and that they needed to be heard at crown court.
