Former police officer from the Metropolitan Police's elite firearms unit charged with raping and sexually abusing a “vulnerable” woman he met while on duty

A former police officer from an elite unit of the Metropolitan Police has been charged with sexually assaulting a victim he allegedly met in the line of duty.

Mark Tyrrell, a 55-year-old former police officer, will appear in court this week on charges of rape and sexual assault following an investigation by the Police Inspectorate.

The former officer served in the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command (PaDP), which is responsible for protecting key locations in the capital such as the Palace of Westminster and consulates, as well as government ministers.

He is accused of two cases of rape, 15 cases of sexual assault, three cases of perverting the course of justice and one case of abuse of office.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the alleged offences took place between 2017 and 2023 and were all related to a “vulnerable” victim he first met while working as a police officer.

According to the IOPC, the charges of perverting the course of justice relate to allegations that he “deleted messages, put pressure on the woman to make false statements and lied during questioning under guardianship”.

He is accused of abuse of office because he is said to have entered into an inappropriate relationship with the female victim, “whom he met in the course of his police work”.

A statement from the police inspectorate said Tyrrell knew his victim was in a vulnerable position at the time.

The IOPC launched an investigation in August 2023 after receiving a report from the Metropolitan Police about Tyrrell's conduct a few months earlier in April.

He was arrested in April 2023 while serving as an officer as part of an investigation by the Metropolitan Police's Professional Standards Directorate, which deals with cases of internal misconduct.

He was subsequently suspended but resigned from the police force on 8 September 2023 while the IOPC investigation was ongoing.

Mark Tyrrell, a 55-year-old former police officer, will appear in court this week accused of offences including rape and sexual assault after the Police Inspectorate launched an investigation.

The PaDP unit in which he served is considered an elite unit of the Metropolitan Police and its officers are usually armed in the course of their duties.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “Tyrell was a police officer with the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command before retiring on 8 September 2023.”

“Tyrell was arrested in April 2023 while serving as an officer as part of an investigation by the Metropolitan Police's Professional Standards Directorate.”

Tyrrell is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court tomorrow (WED) to answer the charges.