A SERVING Avon and Somerset Police officer is due in court after being charged with several offences.

PC Mitchell Curtis, 33, has been charged with two counts of engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour, one count of intentional suffocation and one count of criminal damage.

He i scheduled to appear at Bristol Magistrates' Court on Thursday, August 3.

The offences, which occurred in the South Gloucestershire area, were reported to the force in October 2022.

Curtis was arrested the same day and suspended from duty. He is currently on conditional bail.

A parallel investigation is being carried out by our Professional Standards Department (PSD), which will focus on whether the standards of professional behaviour have been breached.

Det Supt Lisa Simpson said: “These are very serious charges against a serving police officer which have been subject to a detailed investigation over the past seven months.

“A file of evidence was collated by the investigating team and submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised the charges to be brought.

“We’re unable to go into further details at this stage as we cannot risk prejudicing the ongoing criminal proceedings.”

Claire Williams, of CPS South West, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised Avon and Somerset Police to charge Mitchell Curtis with two charges of engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour and charges of intentional suffocation and criminal damage.

“We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mitchell Curtis are now active and that he has the right to a fair trial.

"It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”