A former Metropolitan Police officer, who received specialist training to assist victims of sexual offences, is currently on trial accused of rape and sexual assault. Mark Tyrrell, 57, denies two counts of rape, 11 of sexual assault, and four counts of assault by penetration against a woman, alleged to have occurred over a period of about two years while he was serving with the force.
Southwark Crown Court heard from prosecutor Catherine Farrelly KC that Mr Tyrrell had been trained in Sexual Offences Investigation Techniques. Jurors were told that initial concerns arose when officers, visiting the woman's home on an unrelated matter, discovered Mr Tyrrell hiding beside her bed.
Mr Tyrrell is also accused of perverting the course of justice by attempting to delete messages. In one message, he reportedly apologised for "being a sex offender" and for ruining her life, to which he replied that the statements were true when she told him not to say such things. He has admitted misconduct in public office and pleaded guilty to a separate charge of perverting the course of justice by persuading the woman to lie to police about his presence in her bedroom.
The prosecution alleges that Mr Tyrrell raped the woman by having sex with her after she had repeatedly refused. The woman also alleges that on several occasions she woke to find him penetrating her, despite having refused sex the previous night. Mr Tyrrell denied ever having sex with her during a police interview.