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.
PC Amjad 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.
The charged men, all from Halifax, include Vaqaas Abbas, 30, charged with three counts of rape and three of supplying a class C drug; Nadeem Adalat, 34, five counts of rape and five of supplying a class C drug; Sajid Adalat, 43, charged with rape; Waseem Adalat, 33, charged with two counts of rape, trafficking and supplying a class C drug; and others with various charges related to rape and drug supply.
The district judge deemed the offences 'too serious' for magistrates' courts, and they will be heard at crown court.
Mr Ditta, a serving officer at the time, has been suspended.
All defendants are from Halifax.
