A former volunteer police constable has appeared in court after he was charged with the rape of a teenage girl.

Thomas Stokes, 25, of Walsall, was charged with raping a girl aged 13-15 and appeared at Cannock Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Mr Stokes, who had been a special constable with Staffordshire Police, was placed on conditional bail and sent to crown court for trial.

The alleged offence is understood to have taken place in July 2020.