Former IOPC Chief Accused of Historic Sex Offences

Former police watchdog chief, Michael Lockwood, is on trial for allegedly raping and sexually abusing two 14-year-old girls in the late 1970s and 1980s while working as a lifeguard. The charges include three rapes and 14 indecent assaults, with incidents occurring at a leisure centre near Hull, England. Lockwood, who later held prominent positions in local government and the Independent Office for Police Conduct, is accused of abusing his authority and engaging in inappropriate relationships with underage girls. Testimonies from the victims describe a pattern of grooming and manipulation, with one victim expressing feelings of being 'groomed' and misled into a 'proper relationship' with Lockwood despite their significant age difference. The trial has shed light on historical cases of abuse and power dynamics, raising important questions about safeguarding measures and accountability within institutions.