A former police officer was imprisoned for seven years on charges of raping his police colleague.
A former Metropolitan Police officer has been jailed for seven years for raping a fellow officer after a New Year’s Eve party in London.Robert Edwards, 33, was found guilty of raping the woman after he accompanied her home in the early hours of January 1, 2018.
Southwark Crown Court heard the attack occurred while the two officers were off duty after a New Year celebration.According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the victim was extremely drunk during the party and had no memory of the events leading up to the assault. Prosecutors said Edwards redirected a taxi that had been booked to take him home, and instead drove to the woman’s address, where the rape occurred.The woman later recalled waking up next to Edwards and discovering they were both naked. She told the court that she had never consented to sexual activity and that she was horrified by what happened. Edwards later sent her a message asking to meet again for another sexual encounter, prosecutors said.In sentencing Edwards, the court also imposed a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting the victim or visiting places where she may be present.
In a statement read to the court, the woman said the rape had left her emotionally shattered and that a conviction would not erase its lasting impact. “A conviction does not end my life. I will continue to live with the effects of what he did,” she said.The victim reported the assault to police in 2023, which sparked an investigation that led to Edwards’ arrest the following year. He was later charged and convicted of one count of rape after a trial.
