// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Ex-Met Police officer trained to support rape victims accused of rape
The police watchdog began an investigation in April 2023 after the Met Police made a referral
A former Metropolitan Police officer accused of raping a woman was specially trained to deal with victims of sexual offences, a court has heard.
Mark Tyrrell, 57, denies two counts of rape, 11 of sexual assault and four of assault by penetration against the woman over about two years while he was serving with the force.
Opening his trial at Southwark Crown Court, prosecutor Catherine Farrelly KC said Tyrrell had been trained in Sexual Offences Investigation Techniques.
Jurors heard concerns were first raised when officers visited the woman's home on an unrelated matter and found Tyrrell hiding beside her bed.
He later phoned her and said nothing sexual had happened, the court was told.
Tyrrell is also accused of perverting the course of justice by trying to delete messages between them. In one, he apologised for "being a sex offender" and for ruining her life, jurors heard. When she told him not to say such things, he replied that they were true.
The prosecution alleges Tyrrell raped the woman by having sex with her after she had repeatedly said no.
Afterwards, he allegedly asked whether she realised that what he had done "was rape", and said he would report himself and would undoubtedly go to prison, Farrelly said.
The woman alleges that on several occasions she woke to find Tyrrell penetrating her, despite having refused sex the night before.