A serving Metropolitan police officer from Stevenage has been charged and remanded in connection with child sex offences.

Detective Constable Francois Olwage, aged 51, from Stevenage, has been charged with:

Adult attempt to engage in sexual communication with a child

Attempt to cause/incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity

Arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence

Adult 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 was arrested in Basingstoke, Hampshire on Thursday (October 28) as a result of a proactive police investigation led by Hertfordshire Constabulary.

Following charge, he was remanded into custody and is due to appear at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court today, Friday (October 29).

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