Greater Manchester Police detective facing rape and child sex offence charges

Detective Constable Stephen Hardy stands accused of 20 sexual offences in total

Greater Manchester Police announced Detective Hardy has been suspended from his force

A Manchester police detective has been charged with four counts of rape as well as several child sex offences.

Detective Constable Stephen Hardy, of Greater Manchester Police, stands accused of 20 sexual offences in total.

The 45-year-old, who was based in Stockport, a town just outside of Manchester, was investigated after police received a report of allegations in June 2020.

Detective Hardy has been suspended from the force, with misconduct proceedings to reconvene after the criminal court process is resolved.

Mr Hardy will appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court on 10 August.

He stands accused of two counts of possession of extreme pornography, two counts of making or taking an indecent image of a child, as well as two counts of causing or inciting a girl aged over 13 to take part in sexual activity. He also faces four counts of rape.

Mr Hardy is also accused of one count of causing a child to watch an image of a sexual act, five counts of sexual assault, three counts of assault by penetration and one count of causing a girl aged over 13 to take part in sexual activity.