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Emily Woods

Police officer faces court over off-duty rape claims

Police officer Carl Jones has faced court accused of raping a woman while he was off-duty. (Jay Kogler/AAP PHOTOS)

A senior constable charged with rape while off-duty will fight three sex offences at a contested hearing.

Carl Jones, 33, was working in Victoria Police's western region when he allegedly raped a woman in 2024.

He was off-duty at the time of the alleged incident and was charged in October last year.

The officer faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday supported by his pregnant wife and will contest all charges against him.

Carl Jones and his wife leave the Melbourne Magistrates Court
Carl Jones was supported in court by his wife who is due to give birth in March. (Jay Kogler/AAP PHOTOS)

Jones is charged with three offences regarding non-consensual sex acts he performed on an alleged victim on November 30, 2024, at Armstrong Creek in Geelong, southwest of Melbourne.

Two of the charges are rape and the third is performing oral sex without consent, court documents reveal.

His barrister David Cronin successfully applied to cross-examine seven witnesses at a committal hearing which will begin in May.

He told the court Jones' wife was due to give birth in March and asked for his client to be able to appear via videolink at any special mention hearings before May.

Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge approved remote link access, but noted accused offenders ought be in person at court for "significant matters" such as this one.

He extended Jones' bail as he set down one-and-a-half days for a contested hearing starting on May 18.

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