A Met Police officer accused of inappropriate contact with two teenage girls he met on duty has denied misconduct in a public office.

Pc Adnan Arib, 44, from Barking, allegedly questioned a 15-year-old without her mother being present, told her to lie about questions regarding a theft and arranged to meet her out of work in July 2019.

Pc Arib, based at the Met's Central East command unit covering Hackney and Tower Hamlets, allegedly also invited a 16-year-old girl out and messaged her for non-policing purposes between March 31 and May 22 that year.

Prosecutors say Pc Arib met the two teenagers in the course of his duties.

He will go on trial on February 10 next year after entering not guilty pleas to two charges of misconduct in public office at Southwark Crown Court last Friday, October 29.

Judge Sally Cahill QC granted him conditional bail ahead of a trial at the same court.