A serving Metropolitan police officer from Stevenage - who was arrested and charged in connection with child sex offences yesterday - has been remanded in custody following a court appearance today.

Detective Constable Francois Olwage, aged 51, was remanded back into custody ahead of a pending bail application and is next due to appear at Winchester Crown Court on Monday, November 1.

This comes after his arrest in Basingstoke yesterday, where he was subsequently charged with attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. attempting to cause/incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity, arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and meeting a girl under 16 years of age following grooming.

The charges are in connection with an allegation that DC Olwage engaged with an online profile he believed to be a 13-year-old girl before arranging to meet her.

DC Olwage, who is attached to Specialist Operations, has been suspended and the Met’s Directorate of Professional standards has been informed.

In addition, the matter has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Enquiries are continuing and are being led by Hertfordshire’s Child Online Safeguarding Team.