A serving Suffolk police officer will appear before crown court in May after pleading not guilty to a string of offences. 

Andrew Bedding, 28, who is a Suffolk police constable from Ipswich, has been charged with three counts of controlling or coercive behaviour towards three former partners.

The charges are in connection to incidents that took place at three different locations in Essex between 2018 and 2022.

He was also charged with one count of theft, having been accused of stealing gold earrings from one of the women.

On Thursday, Bedding appeared before Colchester Magistrates' Court and pleaded not guilty to that count. 

Suffolk police has suspended Bedding from the force and he is set to appear before Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday, May 2.