A 33-year-old police officer from the Newton Abbot area has appeared in court charged with ten charges including attempted rape and sexual assault.

The charges relate to alleged incidents while PC Matthew Tregale was off duty and span 15 years between 2006 and 2021 against three women.

The Devon and Cornwall officer, who is currently suspended from duty, denies all the charges.

He is accused of the attempted rape of a woman in April 2010 in Exeter, Devon.

He is also charged with two counts of false imprisonment of her between November and December 2008, as well as harassing her between June 2005 and June 2010.

Tregale is also charged with three counts of sexual assault by penetration against the same woman in 2006, 2009 and 2010.

He is further accused of sexual assault by intentional touching in late 2008 against her.

Tregale is also charged with coercive and controlling behaviour against a second woman in Newton Abbot, Devon, between December 2015 and July 2020.

And he is further accused of coercive and controlling behaviour against a third woman during 2021 in Newton Abbot, Devon.

The case was heard at Plymouth magistrates court before the Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram who was sitting in Westminster.

Tregale will next appear before a judge at Exeter Crown Court next month. (August 25) He was remanded in custody.