Jury panel selected in trial of ex-police watchdog boss accused of sex offences

Michael Lockwood, 65, denies the charges against him.

Michael Lockwood worked previously as director-general of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Archive)

Jurors have been selected in the trial of the former head of the police watchdog who is accused of sexual offences against two girls more than 30 years ago.

Michael Lockwood, 65, faces eight charges of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16 on dates between August 1979 and August 1981.

He is also accused of three counts of rape and six counts of indecent assault on a second girl between October 1985 and March 1986.

Lockwood, of Epsom, Surrey, denies the charges against him.

He appeared at the Old Bailey on Wednesday for the start of a three-week trial before Mr Justice Bennathan KC.

A panel of potential jurors was selected and sent away until midday on Thursday when a jury will be sworn in.

The case is expected to be opened by prosecutor Jonathan Polnay KC from 2pm.

Lockwood stepped down as director-general at the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in December 2022.

He was the first director-general appointed to lead the IOPC when it replaced the Independent Police Complaints Commission in 2018.