Wolverhampton police officer charged with rape
A serving Wolverhampton police officer has been charged with rape and will appear in court tomorrow.
Pc Ben Clay, aged 39, was arrested and suspended from his position at Wolverhampton police station after the allegation was made by a woman on January 28 this year.
The alleged offence is said to have happened between June 1 and June 30 last year.
He was bailed while an investigation was carried out and charged on October 31.
The neighbourhood police officer, who has worked in the Whitmore Reans area, will appear before Dudley Magistrates Court tomorrow.
The alleged offence happened while the officer was off duty.
In 2012, Pc Clay was one of two officers hailed for their quick-thinking when a fire at a £100,000 cannabis farm threatened to sweep through a terrace of houses.
Pc Clay and a colleague were combing the area looking for a suspected burglar when they spotted a wisp of smoke in the air.
They turned into Fawdry Road, Whitmore Reans, and saw that it was coming from the roof of a house in the middle of a terrace of properties.
Pc Clay said at the time: "We realised that every second counts in a situation like this and started banging doors, telling people to get out. Meanwhile, the fire was beginning to take hold."
He was also part of an investigation into graffiti that was sprayed on to the wall of the Wolves training ground.
A video of the vandalism was posted on Facebook and social media, showing one man spray-painting W.B.A Boing Boing in blue paint along the gold wall.
A letter of apology has been sent to the club from the pair. Wolverhampton Wanderers agreed for the men to pay for the damage and have accepted the letter of apology.
Pc Clay, then from the Park neighbourhood team, said at the time: "Thanks to local intelligence and information received, we were able to find the men responsible for the damage.
"The men are extremely sorry for their actions and have made amends with the club."
