Greater Manchester Police officer charged with rape in Edenfield

Image caption, Ernesto Ceraldi has been suspended from Greater Manchester Police

A serving police officer has appeared in court charged with raping a woman.

Ernesto Ceraldi, 43, who works for Greater Manchester Police (GMP), is accused of carrying out the attack in Edenfield, Lancashire, on 2 April.

The police officer, of Darwen, who has also been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, appeared at Blackburn Magistrates' Court on Monday.

He will next appear at Burnley Crown Court on 4 May.

A spokesperson for GMP said it was aware of criminal proceedings against a serving police constable.

"The officer has been suspended and a misconduct investigation will commence following criminal proceedings," they added.

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