A rookie Woodstock police officer is charged with several sexual assault and voyeurism offences after London police seized video that included footage shot under tables and a sexual encounter with a woman who didn’t know she was being recorded.

Robert Barber, 26, who has been with the Woodstock force less than a year and previously worked as a special constable for Western University, is suspended with pay until the case is resolved, Woodstock deputy police chief Darren Sweazey said ­Monday.

London police say they are seeking four unidentified women — three who were sexually assaulted “apparently while they were sleeping” and one who had a consensual relationship with the accused but who they believe didn’t know she was being recorded.

The offences took place between 2009 and 2011 before he was hired in Woodstock, said London police, who launched their investigation last month after receiving information from someone claiming to have seen the videos.

The complaint came “from a third party that viewed some video, then called the police,” Det. Insp. Kevin Heslop, head of London’s investigations branch, said in an email interview Monday.

Heslop said the investigation did not “in any way relate” to the officer’s employment at Western or with Woodstock police.

During the investigation, police seized videos and laid charges.

One of the voyeurism charges involves the four women — three touched inappropriately while sleeping and one who was not sleeping, but didn’t know she was being videoed.

The second voyeurism charge involves surreptitious recording of women from under a table, in public places.

On Monday, police charged Barber with obstruction of justice as well.

Heslop said police do not know if any of the women had an ongoing relationship with the accused, but police hope publicity surrounding the charges will spur the women to contact police.

“It is our position that they were unaware they were being recorded. None of the women in the videos have been identified, therefore if a woman recognizes the circumstances under which these alleged offences occurred and feel they might have been a victim, they are asked to call the London police service,” Heslop said.

London police are leading the investigation because Barber lived in London at the time of the alleged offences.

Barber previously served as special police constable with Western University. In an article published in the Woodstock Sentinel-­Review after his swearing in last April, Barber described policing as “one of the noblest professions” and said he was looking forward to being involved with members of the community and helping with positive choices. He is listed as a board member of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in London.

Sweazey said the charges have been bad for morale in his force and Barber has been suspended with pay “and will be until it’s dealt with under the Police Services Act, which is separate from the criminal ­process.

“Obviously it’s very disappointing . . . but I certainly want to stress that I don’t want it to detract from the good work done by the men and women of the Woodstock Police Service on a daily basis,” he said.

Police ask any woman who suspects she may been filmed or anyone with information to contact them at 519-661-5670.

-with files from Woodstock Sentinel-Review reporter Bruce Chessell

Jlobrien@postmedia.com

Charges:

3 counts of sexual assault

2 counts of voyeurism

1 count of obstructing justice

What police say happened

3 women were videoed while being inappropriately touched while sleeping

1 woman was unknowingly recorded while engaging in a “consensual relationship”

Footage was taken surreptitiously of women in public, shot under tables.