A police officer serving with Thames Valley Police has appeared in court facing multiple criminal charges, among them strangulation offences.

Detective Sergeant Karl Ralph, aged 48, is alleged to have committed one count of controlling and coercive behaviour alongside two counts of intentional strangulation.

The alleged victim, whose identity is protected by legal restrictions, sustained bodily bruising and was reportedly menaced with a knife during one incident.

The period covering the alleged conduct spans from January 31, 2024, through to October 7, 2025.

Ralph was brought before Luton Magistrates’ Court on August 27, 2026, and was subsequently granted conditional bail.

The defendant, who resides in Bicester, operates from the force’s Headquarters South in Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

He has been suspended from his duties during the ongoing legal proceedings.

His next court appearance is listed for Luton Crown Court on September 28, 2026.