(Image: West Yorkshire Police)
A police officer has been convicted of rape a woman by a York jury and is now preparing for prison.
PC Joe Lavender’s career is now in ruins and he will have to register as a sex offender.
He is 45, and currently suspended from duty by his force, West Yorkshire Police.
He stood trial twice at York Crown Court on several charges of rape and indecent assault allegedly committed when off-duty against more than one complainant. He denied all charges.
The first jury acquitted him on all but one charge and couldn’t decide its verdict on the last charge, of rape.
He was retried on the last charge and this week, the second jury convicted him unanimously, after less than three hours in retirement.
Lavender, of Castleford, showed no reaction as the jury announced its verdict.
He did not speak as he left court.
His barrister Simon Myerson KC asked for sentence to be delayed so that Lavender could prepare for jail.
Judge Simon Hickey granted the adjournment until November 3.
“You can have your bail,” he told Lavender.
“This is simply for you to get your affairs in order.”
He warned him that the sentence, which will be passed at York Crown Court, will be a prison sentence.
The conviction means Lavender must now register as a sex offender.
How long he will have to register will be decided by his sentence.
If he is jailed for more than 30 months, it will be for life.
The case was heard at York Crown Court to ensure that the jurors did not have any connection with him or West Yorkshire Police.
It is standard for police officers charged with offences to stand trial at a court outside their force area.