Declan Gabriel, 28, was cleared of rape and two charges of sexual assault by a jury at Northampton Crown Court

A police officer has been cleared of raping a teenager after a court heard she had sexually assaulted him while he was adjusting a wedgie.

PC Declan Gabriel, 28, was accused of forcing the 17-year-old girl into a sex act in his unmarked car while on duty.

A court heard the officer allegedly committed the offence after being called out to a disturbance where she was kicked out of her family home on September 21, 2015.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said Gabriel had later forced her hand onto his crotch before forcing her into a sex act.

But the Northamptonshire Police officer claimed he had a wedgie and was rearranging his boxer shorts when the teenager suddenly put her hands down his trousers.

On Tuesday he was acquitted of rape and two charges of sexual assault by a jury of seven men and five women at Northampton Crown Court.

Giving evidence last week Gabriel said he was 'technically' the victim of sexual assault himself.

The court heard the uniformed officer was alone when he received a call to a domestic involving the 'vulnerable' girl at her parent's house in Northampton.

The police officer had been accused of taking the girl to the gates of this crematorium close to the M1 and forcing her to perform a sex act on him

Gabriel took the victim away from the property and drove her around in his unmarked Ford Focus between 4.30am and 6.30am trying to find her a place to stay.

Prosecutor Matthew Lowe claimed he had driven her to a lorry park lay-by where he sexually assaulted her by placing her hand on his penis.

Gabriel was then accused of then driving the girl to a different lay-by in a gateway near a crematorium where he forced her to give him oral sex.

But the officer said while at the lay-by he had reclined the driver's seat and undid his trouser zip to remove his boxer shorts, which he said, were trapped uncomfortably.

It was at this moment he said the girl reached inside his trousers- before he then drove back to Mereway police station, where he was based.

Giving evidence, Gabriel admitted he turned the conversation to a sexual nature at one point during the morning.

He asked whether she and her boyfriend were having sex but claimed that was 'intelligence gathering' to assess whether she was being sexually exploited.

In court Gabriel was made to demonstrate how he removed the wedgie

Gabriel denied claims he made the girl touch his penis but confessed to being partially aroused during the conversation in the car.

He claimed this was merely how his 'body reacted' and added that he was not attracted to the girl.

Mr Lowe asked him: 'You pulled into this lay-by to test the water with her didn't you.'

Gabriel replied: 'No I did not.'

Mr Lowe continued: 'You wanted to see what her reaction would be. You made sexual advances to her.'

The officer answered: 'No absolutely not.'

Mr Lowe then asked Gabriel whether he thought it was 'appropriate to start pulling your zip down' when he adjusted the wedgie.

He was working for Northamptonshire Police at the time - pictured is the force's headquarters at Wootton Hall, Northampton

Gabriel replied: 'To be honest no, I don't think it was a smart thing to do.. The smart thing to have done would have been to have got out the vehicle.'

Gabriel, who was even made to demonstrate how he removed the uncomfortable boxer shorts in the courtroom, said the girl reached across and put her hand down his trousers.

The prosecutor asked: 'She sexually assaulted you?'

He replied: 'Technically yes, but I didn't make that allegation at the time..'

Mr Lowe asked: 'Had she shown you any sexual interest up to that point.'

Gabriel replied: 'No.'

Steven Evans, defending, also told the court the girl's evidence had contained 'several demonstrable lies'.