A Metropolitan Police officer has appeared in court charged with misconduct in public office with two teenage girls.

       PC Adnan Arib, 44, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday following two separate allegations of wilful misconduct with two girls, aged 15 and 16 respectively, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

       The court heard Mr Arib, of Harts Lane, Barking, messaged and propositioned the 16-year-old girl between March and May 2019.

       He is also accused of questioning the 15-year-old without a parent present and instructing her to lie during a police interview in July 2019. Prosecutors allege he also arranged to meet her for non-policing purposes without an adult present.

       The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it conducted an investigation following a referral from Scotland Yard in July 2019. It said he had been charged with two counts of misconduct “in relation to allegations of inappropriate contact he had with two teenagers he met through the course of his duties”.

       Mr Arib, who is based at the Central East Command Unit, appeared at court in person on Friday morning wearing a pink shirt and black face mask and was joined by a supervising welfare officer.

       The Metropolitan Police said he is is currently suspended from duty.

       He will next appear at Southwark Crown Court on 13 August after being granted bail.