TWO charges of rape against a former police officer have been dropped after a judge ordered jurors to return not guilty verdicts this morning.

David Waller is facing a catalogue of complaints from several teenage girls, including one remaining charge of rape, over a 12-year period.

Judge Toby Hedworth told the jurors to return a not guilty verdicts on two of the rape allegations, made by one of the alleged teen victims, the charges have now been struck from Waller’s charge sheet.

The former Cleveland Police officer, who denies all charges against him, is due to start giving evidence in his defence tomorrow morning.

The judge said there was insufficient evidence that a crime had been committed in relation to the two counts of rape.

Earlier in the trial jurors heard the defendant had bombarded some of his alleged teen victims with messages through a number of different social media platforms – with one sharing 4,000 messages with Waller in a short period of time.

The court heard how the defendant also shared a number of pictures with the young complainant.

Waller, 34, of Eastleigh, Thornaby, denies all the remaining charges against him.

He is accused of meeting some of his alleged victims through his roles with Cleveland Police, as a flying instructor and various theatre groups between 2004 and 2016.

The allegations now include one charge of rape, three counts of inciting underage girls to engage in sexual activity, three of meeting or attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, two counts of sexual activity with a child, and one of sexual assault.

He faces an additional charge of misconduct in a public office from his time in the police.

The trial, listed for three weeks, continues.