A former police officer has appeared in court over claims he had a relationship with a "vulnerable" witness.

Sussex Police constable Jason Catton is charged with eight counts of misconduct in a public office over accusations that he formed a relationship with a woman who was a witness in an investigation he was involved.

He is also charged with encouraging women to breach coronavirus restrictions and of breaching the restrictions himself.

Catton denies the charges.

The former officer spoke to confirm his personal details as he appeared in the dock at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with eight counts of misconduct in public office.

All the alleged offences are said to have happened in Sussex between September 2020 and January 2021.

The charges state they each amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust.

Catton, 40, of Fareham, Hampshire, was unconditionally bailed to next appear at a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on May 23.