Neil Wilby Media

THE former Director General of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been charged with raping a girl under 16.

Michael Lockwood, 64, has been charged, in total, over nine sexual offences that are said to date back to the 1980s. They are said to relate to 1985/6 when he worked as an officer at the former Humberside County Council.

In the wake of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, he was asked by a Government task-force to lead recovery and remediation work and liaise with bereaved families, survivors and the wider community.

He was appointed to lead the IOPC in 2018 and previously held senior roles in the Local Government Association and at Harrow Borough Council in north-east London.

The IOPC claims to oversee the police complaints system in England and Wales, maintaining confidence and investigating serious incidents such as deaths following police contact, and upholding standards as set out in the Police Regulations.

In March, 2023 the watchdog unveiled an independent review that it claimed would establish the circumstances of his the Director General’s resignation “to ensure that relevant IOPC processes and policies are fit for purpose”.

Rosemary Ainslie, head of the special crime division at the CPS, said: “After carefully considering all of the evidence provided to us by Humberside Police, we have authorised charges against Michael Lockwood, 64, for nine offences under the Sexual Offences Act 1956.

“Mr Lockwood has been charged with six counts of indecent assault and three offences of rape against a girl under the age of 16, alleged to have been committed during the 1980s.

“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Lockwood are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.”

An IOPC spokesman said earlier: “We are aware of the CPS’s decision to charge Michael Lockwood in relation to allegations relating to non-recent events.

“Mr Lockwood was IOPC Director General from 2018 to 2022, but as a Crown appointee, not employed by the IOPC.

“As criminal proceedings are active, we are unable to comment any further.’

The IOPC has consistently refused to answer questions from Neil Wilby Media as to how many Executive and non-Executive Directors knew of the police investigation, in train for around two months before he resigned without notice ‘for personal reasons’. Home Secretary Suella Braverman said in early December that she was forced to take ‘immediate action’ after being made aware of the police investigation. Mr Lockwood was, in effect, forced to resign or be sacked.

Mr Lockwood is due to appear at Hull Magistrates’ Court on 28th June, 2023.

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Page last updated: Friday 16th June, 2023 at 1005 hours

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Picture credit: IOPC

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