Detective cleared of rape

A trainee detective was cleared today of raping a woman at police accommodation after prosecutors offered no evidence.

Shahzad Malik, 31, who was based at Hounslow police station, in west London, was formally found not guilty by Judge Peter Rook at the Old Bailey.

The court heard that he was charged after a woman made contact with him via a website called SingleMuslim.com.

In January, they arranged to meet for a coffee in Chiswick, west London, but instead went to a disused police section house where "sexual acts took place" said Kaly Kaul, prosecuting.

The woman reported it to the police two days later.

Malik was charged with oral rape and digital penetration but, following further investigation, the allegations were reviewed by lawyers and dropped.

Miss Kaul said an email sent by the woman before the incident had been "unclear in its content as to what her intentions had been at the time".

Susannah Stevens, defending, said it was "unfortunate" that it had taken "this amount of time" before Malik was cleared.

But she added: "The defendant, of course, because of his occupation, does understand how the process works."

Judge Rook said: "Cases of this nature need to be considered with great care."