A Sussex Police officer will appear in court charged with non-recent sexual offences against two girls.

PC Samuel Davis, 21, has been charged with the rape of a girl aged between 13 and 15, and sexual assault by touching of a child, alleged to have taken place when Davis was a teenager and before he joined Sussex Police.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between 1 September, 2017 and 31 August, 2019.

Both victims were known to him, and they and their families are being supported by specialist officers.

Davis, who was based at Brighton and Hove division, has been suspended from duty.

He will appear at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Friday (13 March).

The matter was referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct, who directed a conduct investigation by the Professional Standards Department, which will await the outcome of the criminal proceedings.