Police have issued a public statement in the wake of a social media post which contained allegations about its handling of a reported sexual assault involving a serving police officer.

The response comes after the post’s author claimed they had repeatedly tried to raise concerns with the Isle of Man Constabulary but had been unable to secure a criminal investigation.

In the post, which was posted anonymously to an Isle of Man Facebook group on Thursday, the author alleged that they had been sexually assaulted by a police officer several years ago before being threatened with arrest for speaking about the incident.

They claimed to have contacted the Constabulary's Professional Standards Department before attempting to report the allegation as a criminal matter.

According to the post, the author was unhappy with the allegation being handled through professional standards procedures rather than as a criminal investigation.

The author also alleged that attempts to raise concerns had gone unanswered and questioned whether the force could investigate the matter impartially.

The claims contained in the post have not been independently verified and the post has since been removed from Facebook.

In its statement, the force said it was aware of the post and recognised the seriousness of the allegations made.

It also said it wanted to outline the action it had taken ‘rebalance the misinformation’ contained in the post.

A spokesperson for the force confirmed that its Professional Standards Department had appointed a detective inspector to oversee enquiries, supported by a specialist investigator.

Police said the investigator had contacted the author in an attempt to find out more information and give them an opportunity to make a formal complaint.

A spokesperson for the force said: ‘To date, the Constabulary has not received a formal complaint or evidential statement concerning the alleged sexual assault.

‘As a result, important details necessary to progress a full investigation, including the precise circumstances, location and timing of the alleged incident, have not been established.

‘However, in the absence of a formal evidential account or other sufficient evidence from which the circumstances can be established, there are significant limitations on the extent to which the allegation can be investigated through either the criminal or professional standards process.

‘The Constabulary categorically rejects any suggestion that there has been an attempt to conceal or suppress the allegation.

‘The Constabulary remains willing to engage with the individual and to investigate any evidential account provided.

‘We are committed to ensuring appropriate accountability and maintaining public confidence in policing.’