Bedfordshire Police officer who was awarded British Empire Medal charged with multiple crimes including rape and assault

A Bedfordshire police officer is set to appear in court today charged with multiple crimes including rape and assault.

Temporary Superintendent Mo Aziz, 48, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today (Wednesday) charged with four counts of rape, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, coercive and controlling behaviour, causing a female to engage in sexual activity, and two counts of disclosing or threatening to disclose private sexual photographs/film with intent to cause distress. The crimes are alleged to have taken place between 2015 and 2022.

A spokesman for Bedfordshire Police said: “We are committed to keeping women and girls safe and expect the highest standards of professionalism and integrity from our officers and staff. T/Supt Aziz was arrested on the day the allegations were first made in July last year and was immediately suspended. For transparency we referred the matter to an independent force to investigate.”

Mo Aziz was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s delayed 2020 birthday honours list, for helping Bedfordshire Police recruit record numbers of police officers from diverse backgrounds.