HALIFAX POLICE OFFICER AMONG 16 CHARGED WITH 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, all from Halifax, were given bail and will appear at Bradford Crown Court on 20 January.
The victims were aged between 13 and 16 at the time.
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 include Nadeem Adalat, 34, charged with four counts of rape and four of supplying a class C drug; Vaqaas Abbas, 30, charged with three counts of rape and three of supplying a class C drug; among others.
The district judge stated that the offences were 'too serious' for magistrates’ court and must be heard at crown court.