March 10, 2022 2.12 pm This story is over 23 months old

Lincoln police officer denies raping woman

He’s been given conditional bail

A serving Lincolnshire Police officer has appeared in court charged with raping a woman in Lincoln while he was off duty.

PC Frazer McDowall, 23, of Ryland Road, Welton, was arrested on November 5 before being charged on February 2, following an alleged incident in Lincoln in the early hours of October 16.

He appeared in the dock at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court this morning (Thursday, March 10), where he indicated a not guilty plea. The case was sent straight to Nottingham Crown Court due to the serious nature of the allegation.

PC McDowall, who has been suspended from his role, is due to appear at the crown court on April 7.

The Lincoln-based probationary police officer has been given conditional bail until this date.

Speaking at the time of the charge, Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Chris Haward said: “I know this will be concerning and upsetting to people in our communities in Lincolnshire and further afield; our entire Lincolnshire Police family feels this way too.

“It has come at a time when police officer conduct is under intense scrutiny and is the subject of almost daily news reporting, so we understand keenly the public’s concern about allegations such as these.

“We have taken swift measures to ensure that this matter has been investigated thoroughly and robustly, and work continues even though a charge has now been brought. We are providing specialist support to the alleged victim and will continue to do so throughout the process.

“I would like to remind everyone that we must allow the criminal and court proceedings to take place without prejudice. It is not right to speculate about the outcome and as soon as there are any significant updates, we will make sure we release that information to you.”