PC Ravi Canhye. 46, pictured arriving at court, was suspended from duty by Dorset Police at the time the allegations were made against him and remains suspended
A serving police officer has pleaded not guilty to the rape and sexual assault of one woman and the sexual assault of another.
PC Ravi Canhye, 46, is alleged to have committed eight sexual offences against the women while off duty in April 2022.
He is accused of two counts of rape, one of attempted rape and four of sexual assault against one alleged victim between April 8 and April 11 last year.
He is also alleged to have sexually assaulted another woman during the same period.
Canhye, from Poole, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court in Dorset on Thursday dressed in a grey suit and dark tie. He spoke only to confirm his name and to enter eight not guilty pleas to the charges as they were read out.
He was suspended from duty by Dorset Police at the time the allegations were made against him and has remained suspended throughout the investigation.
The hearing was presided over by Judge William Mousley KC, who told the defendant: ‘You must attend those hearings. If you do not, you will be committing a separate offence for which you can be separately punished.
‘When it comes to your trial, if you fail to attend, it may go ahead in your absence, which would not be in your interest.’
The judge released Canhye on bail on condition that he surrenders his passport, does not contact any witnesses related to the case and lives at his home address of Fernhill Close, Poole, or a family address in Horley, Surrey.
He is due to stand trial on September 25 at Winchester Crown Court. A case management hearing will be held at the court on April 6 before the trial, which is expected to last six days.
The case against Ravi Canhye will be heard at a trial in Winchester Crown Court in September
A Dorset Police spokesperson said: ‘We understand that charges of this nature will quite rightfully cause concern within our communities. However, due to the ongoing legal proceedings, we are prevented from commenting on this matter any further at this time.
‘If anyone has any specific concerns about this case or any sexual offence crimes, please contact Dorset Police where information can be reported and dealt with in the strictest confidence.’
The matter was referred by Dorset Police to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which decided it should be subject to a criminal investigation.
Canhye won a National Policing Award in 2009 as a special constable in Ealing, West London, for his work identifying people with mental health issues.
