Former officer loses incest plea

Alexander retired from the force in 2000 after 30 years service

A former police chief who was jailed for 10 years after being found guilty of raping his daughter has lost an appeal against his conviction.

At his trial last year Alec Alexander, 62, was also convicted of indecent assault on his daughter and one count of taking an indecent picture of her.

Alexander's claims that he was denied a fair trial were rejected by judges at the Court of Appeal.

A Humberside Police detective said she was "delighted" with the decision.

Alexander's daughter waived her right to anonymity during his trial.

'Abused trust'

Det Supt Dena Fleming said: "I am delighted with the outcome of today's hearing; however my thoughts are with his daughter who has gone through the most terrible ordeal, and then had to relive it not just for the original hearing but again today.

"This experience never leaves her and it has had the most dreadful effect on her life and the lives of her husband and her children. Alexander will now remain in prison to serve the sentence which was originally imposed.

"This is the only place for a man who abused the trust that should exist between a parent and a child. His role as her father was to protect her and keep her safe."

Four months before his trial Alexander, of Hessle, Hull, admitted 17 offences of taking, possessing and distributing indecent images.

The appeal was brought on the basis that Alexander was prejudiced at his trial by the judge's admission of "bad character" evidence relating to the indecent images.

But at the Court of Appeal, Lord Justice Maurice Kay said: "We are entirely satisfied that the judge reached a permissible and appropriate conclusion about it and about all aspects of fairness in the balancing exercise."

Alexander first sexually assaulted his daughter when she was seven years old. He raped her in 1992 when she was 17.

Alexander was a divisional commander at Humberside Police at the time and had reached the position of chief superintendent before his retirement in 2000 after 30 years of service.