A SERVING PSNI officer appeared in court yesterday accused of sexual assault and having an inappropriate relationship with a female he met through his job.
Gary Best (51) is charged with three offences in connection with an alleged incident on September 24 this year.
He faces counts of common assault and sexual assault against the same complainant.
Best, with an address at Musgrave Police Station, is further charged with misconduct in a public office.
It is alleged that he abused public trust in him as a police officer by having an inappropriate relationship with a female he met in the course of his employment.
Dressed in a shirt and tie as he stood in the dock at Belfast Magistrates' Court, Best spoke once to confirm that he understood the charges against him.
A defence solicitor confirmed that the accused is currently suspended from work.
No further details of the alleged offences were disclosed during the brief hearing.
Requesting an eight-week adjournment, a prosecution lawyer said: "We are still awaiting a full file, it's quite a complex matter."
District Judge Fiona Bagnall released Best on continuing bail, listing his case for review again on January 6.
