A SERVING Greater Manchester Police officer has been charged with sexual assault against a child.

PC Dean Dempster was charged with sexually assaulting a child under 13 as well as misconduct in a public office.

The 34-year-old, who worked in the force’s Oldham district, appeared in custody at Manchester & Salford magistrates’ court on Monday.

The charges follow an investigation by the force.

PC Dempster has been suspended from duty, and misconduct proceedings will resume when the full criminal case ends, according to the force.

In December 2022, another Greater Manchester officer, Lee Ashcroft, was jailed for 10 months for possessing an indecent video of children. And Greater Manchester officer Lee Cunliffe was jailed for eight years in January 2022 for child sex offences, which included plans to abuse an eight-year-old girl.

More than 30 police and support officers have been convicted of child sex abuse offences in England and Wales since January 2022.