Former police officer due to appear in court charged with sexual abuse of young boys

Allan Richards faces 54 counts, including rape and indecent assault, and is accused of abusing his position to exploit children

Nicola Kendal said two police cars and a riot van arrived at the pub after she refused to pay for her steak (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

A former police officer of more than 30 years' service was due to appear in court charged with a string of offences relating to the sexual abuse of young boys - including the alleged use of his position to exploit children.

Allan Richards, 53, from Birmingham, who was a police constable between 1980 and 2011, has been charged with 24 counts including sexual activity with a child, rape, misconduct in a public office, indecent assault and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Added to further charges brought against Mr Richards earlier this year, the retired PC, of Thaxted Road, Tile Cross, now faces 54 charges that relating to alleged offences against 27 boys, aged 11 to 18, between 1976 and 2013.

The earlier charges include indecent assault, rape, buggery, gross indecency, sexual activity with a child and misconduct in public office.

The charges of misconduct in a public office relate to alleged misuse of police powers to sexually exploit boys while Richards was a serving police officer.

Mr Richards was set to appear at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday and a trial is due to take place in April 2016.

West Midlands Police said it had referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which is investigating.