A Metropolitan Police officer accused of rape “thought he was above the law”, a jury has heard.

PC Jake Cummings appeared at St Albans Crown Court where he has denied nine charges – including three counts of controlling or coercive behaviour, three of voyeurism, two of rape and one of stalking.

The 25-year-old from Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire previously admitted two counts of stalking related to different women.

Tom Little KC, prosecuting, told the jury: “We say that it [the case] involves extensive controlling, coercive, and manipulative behaviour and sexual violence committed during the course of three relationships by a man who thought he was above the law.”

“That is despite the fact that he was, in fact, a police officer for much of the time you are considering,” he added.

The trial heard PC Cummings served as a special constable with Dorset Police from April 2018 before joining the Metropolitan Police as a regular officer in November 2019.

Mr Little said the alleged offending started in 2019 and told the jury they would hear from three complainants.

He said evidence would be from WhatsApp, text messages and social media, where it is alleged the defendant created new accounts and profiles in false names to continue pursuing his victims.

PC Cummings is currently suspended from duty by the Metropolitan Police.

The court heard all the alleged victims were in their 20s, and there was not much gap between the end of one relationship and the start of the next.

Mr Little said at the end of each relationship there would be a bombardment of messages from the defendant.

The jury heard how PC Cummings met one of his victims when she had spent time with the Met Police because she had an interest in becoming an officer.

She told police the defendant gradually isolated her from friends, drove her to university every time before picking her up immediately at the end of a lecture, isolating her from friends.

If she spoke to another man, PC Cummings would want to know why and whether she had slept with them, the court heard.

He also deliberately tripped her up, the prosecution said, casing her to fall and hit her head and he laughed.

The court heard how the victim felt she had lost control of her life and was not able to make her own decisions.

The trial continues.

Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.