A SERVING West Midlands Police officer has been charged with sexually assaulting a child ten years ago, it has been revealed.

       PC Joseph Powell will appear in court next month after he was charged with the historical sex offence.

       1

       PC Powell was charged with a historical sex offence Credit: Getty

       PC Powell has been accused of assaulting a child under the age of 13.

       The alleged assaults occurred between 2009 and 2011.

       Powell is also charged with accessing information on a police computer without authorisation.

       Most read in THE SUN

       Exclusive

       KNOWS HIS TYPE Romanian toyboy, 28, left ￡250k when lover, 81, died finds NEW older BF

       Exclusive

       SICK JOKES Paedo teacher who slept with pupil, 14, said 'horny boys flirt with me in class'

       SNOW WAY TO GO Exact date SNOW to hit as Brits battered by 60mph gusts & floods TOMORROW

       GREAT FRIGHT Inside abandoned zoo with remains of great white SHARK floating in tank

       'RAPE ORDEAL' Family of girl, 11, pregnant after ‘rape by stepfather's dad, 61, keep baby'

       YOU’RE KIDDING? We named our 11 children using variations of the same four letters

       A statement on the West Midland's website read: "A serving West Midlands Police officer has been charged with a historical sexual offence.

       "Student officer PC Joseph Powell is due to appear at Coventry Magistrates Court on 10 November charged with assaulting a child under 13 by touching between 2009 and 2011 and a further charge of unauthorised access to information on a police computer."

       The student officer was suspended on August 6 2020 when he was arrested and will remain off-duty while the matter is being investigated.

       West Midlands Police confirmed that the alleged sexual offence occurred before he was employed with the force.