Excerpts of Facebook messages which a former police officer is accused of sending to an alleged rape victim were read before a court.

Wednesday saw the continuation of the trial of Ryan Althorpe at Ipswich Crown Court.

Althorpe, of Ipswich, has denied two offences of misconduct in a public office between November 16 and December 3, 2020.

The first charge alleges that Althorpe, 32, engaged in sexually inappropriate conversations with an alleged rape victim for the purpose of his sexual gratification, and the second charge alleges that he wilfully neglected to record a disclosure of rape.

Adam Norris, prosecuting, called as a witness Detective Sergeant Matthew Cornwall. He told the court he investigates anti-corruption.

Mr Norris read aloud a series of Facebook messages which Althorpe is accused of having sent a woman who disclosed that she was the subject of an alleged rape.

In one message, Althorpe allegedly wrote: “Don’t mention me as I will get in trouble for not recording it as soon as I knew.” 

Det Sgt Cornwall said that this message confirmed that Althorpe knew he was duty bound to record the allegation on the police’s system, regardless of whether the disclosure happened when he was on duty or off.

In another message read by Mr Norris, Althorpe allegedly wrote: “I can turn off being a cop for you”, and said, “I won’t report as you’re telling me as a friend”.

He also allegedly used terms for intimate parts of the body which Det Sgt Cornwall described as “wholly inappropriate”. He also told the victim she was "sexy" and "cute".

The messages were sent between November 16 and December 3, 2020. Det Sgt Cornwall’s investigation found that Althorpe had emailed Essex Police to report the rape allegation in March the following year.

The trial continues.