Met Police officer in court accused of 'controlling ex-girlfriend by forcing her into unwanted pregnancy'

A Met Police officer is accused of “forcing” his ex-girlfriend into getting pregnant before telling her to abort the baby during an alleged controlling relationship, a court heard.

PC Sebastian Payne, 25, allegedly threatened repeatedly to kill himself to stop the woman from leaving him and regularly made abusive and degrading remarks about her looks, it is said.

The officer, part of the Met’s South West Crime Command, is accused of being violent towards his ex-girlfriend, and is said to have cut her off from friends and family during the six-month relationship.

Payne appeared at Lavender Hill magistrates court this morning to face the allegation for the first time.

“The defendant was in a relationship with the complainant”, said prosecutor Alex Awalode, outlining the charge against Payne.

“She notes over the course of six months a number of incidents that occurred in the course of the defendant attempting to control her.

“Belittling, degrading, and abusive comments were made about the way she dresses. He called her abusive names such as ‘slut’ and physically adjusted her clothing.

“She suffered psychological pain from numerous break-ups with the defendant, including a number of comments that if she did leave him he would commit suicide.”

The prosecutor said the alleged victim also claims she was subjected to “violence” and says Payne “forced her to become pregnant before encouraging a termination.”

The criminal charge also claims the PC “stopped her from seeing her friends and family”, made comments about other women “to make her feel insecure”, and send messages “being kind and being harsh so victim doesn't know where she stands”.

Payne did not indicate a plea at today’s brief hearing to the charge of engaging in a controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship between March and September last year, but elected a jury trial at the crown court.

District Judge Nigel Dean freed the officer on unconditional bail until a plea hearing at Croydon crown court on November 18.

Scotland Yard announced the decision to charge Payne, from Sutton, in August, saying the officer is currently on restricted duties.

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