A POLICE officer has been cleared of raping a woman on the first date after she did not want to give evidence at a third trial.

Police Constable David Longden-Thurgood, of Hampshire Constabulary, was formerly cleared of the charges following two trials at Winchester Crown Court.

The 49-year-old was accused of raping a mother in her 30s at her home in October 2020 after meeting on the Bumble dating app.

He was cleared after the complainant did not want to give evidence at a third trial.

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The first trial collapsed in June 2022 after four jurors tested positive for Covid-19.

And the jury in the retrial was discharged last month after failing to reach a verdict.

Prosecutor Rebecca Fairbairn told a hearing at Salisbury Crown Court: “The complainant in this case was consulted, having been through two trials, the complainant did not wish to go through a third trial.

“Accordingly the Crown do not consider it to be in the public interest to compel her to attend any further trial and her wishes have been respected in that regard.

“The Crown would like to formally offer no evidence in this matter.”

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Judge Richard Parkes QC recorded a verdict of not guilty against the single charge and dismissed the case against Pc Longden-Thurgood.

Longden-Thurgood, from Waterlooville, Hampshire, had told the court that he believed that the complainant had consented to sex although she had said earlier that she did not want to have sex that night.

A Hampshire police spokeswoman said: “The CPS has made the decision not to pursue a retrial in this case, which brings the criminal justice process to an end.

“Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary will carefully consider any internal misconduct proceedings which may now be relevant.

“In the meantime, Pc Longden-Thurgood remains suspended from duty.”

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