Sombre-faced PC Luke Horner remanded in custody as he faces court for first time accused of sexual activity with Rushden teen

A serving police constable looked down at the floor as he was told he stood accused of two sexual offences against a Rushden girl.

PC Luke Christopher Horner, 24, made his first appearance at Northampton Magistrates’ Court this afternoon (Friday, June 16) to face charges of penetrative sexual activity with a thirteen-year-old and of making an indecent image of a child

Horner, a former member of the armed forces, is alleged to been in touch with the victim using Snapchat before the assault. A packed courtroom heard the assault is alleged to have taken place after Horner travelled to Rushden on Sunday (June 11).

Wearing a crumpled grey T-shirt and looking shell-shocked, Horner, of Lakeland Drive, Aylesbury, did not speak at the hearing and looked down at the floor as the charges were laid.

The Thames Valley Police officer, who works out of Amersham police station, has been suspended from duty and will be the subject of a separate misconduct investigation by TVP, who have also referred the separate matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

An application for bail was rejected by District Judge Amar Mehta, who oversaw proceedings via videolink. He ordered Horner be remanded in custody and sent the case to Northampton Crown Court, where Horner will make a further appearance at the end of July.