Former senior officer appears in court on 2003 rape charge

A FORMER senior Yorkshire detective has appeared in court accused of rape and stalking.
Colin AndrewsColin Andrews
Colin Andrews

Colin Andrews - who is a retired detective chief superintendent with Humberside Police - appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court today to face a charge that he raped a woman in December 2003.

The former officer, from Brough, East Yorkshire, is also charged with stalking between 31 May 2013 and 20 August 2013 and harassment that allegedly took place between 1 August 2012 and 13 August 2013.

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In addition he is charged with common assault on 20 August 2013.

Mr Andrews, 57, stood in a glass-fronted dock wearing a grey suit, white shirt and striped tie as he made his first court appearance since being charged last month.

During the 15-minute hearing, he spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address and to acknowledge he understood what District Judge Mark Hadfield had told him.

No formal pleas were entered but Mr Andrews’ solicitor, Damian Kelly, said the charges would be “vigorously denied” and he would be pleading not guilty.

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Mr Andrews was granted conditional bail to appear next at Manchester Crown Court on March 7.

He retired in 2012 but returned to the force as a civilian investigator to continue his role leading a major, three-year inquiry into historical sexual abuse allegations at the former Catholic-run St William’s children’s home in Market Weighton, East Yorkshire.

Mr Andrews was also responsible for a number of high profile investigations for Humberside Police during his long career, including the death of Army cadet Stephen Hilder in a mysterious sky-diving incident in 2003.

The charges followed an investigation managed by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and carried out by Durham Police.

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The IPCC involvement followed Mr Andrews’ initial arrest in August last year after an alleged assault on a street in west Hull after which he was suspended by Humberside Police.

The force referred the matter to the IPCC and Mr Andrews was arrested again in October in relation to other alleged offences.