London police under fire after officer admits to 24 counts of rape

Britain’s largest police force was facing fresh scrutiny about its vetting procedures after an officer admitted 24 counts of rape and a string of sexual assaults over nearly two decades. David Carrick’s crimes, described by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s office as “appalling”, is the most high-profile police case since a fellow officer kidnapped, raped and murdered a young woman in 2021. Then, as now, background checks by the Metropolitan Police in London were found lacking, leaving it battling to regain dented public confidence. Carrick, 48, appeared in court in London on Monday and pleaded guilty to four counts of rape, as well as false imprisonment and indecent assault against a 40-year-old woman in 2003. Reporting restrictions were lifted on his admission at a previous hearing in December of 43 charges involving 11 other women, including 20 counts of rape, over a 16-year period to September 2020. He will be sentenced over two days from February 6. The Met, which polices a population of more than 8 million people over 620 square miles (1,605 square km) in the British capital, called Carrick a “prolific, serial sex offender”. Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray said he had abused his position of trust to commit “horrific, degrading crimes”. But she noted: “We should have spotted his pattern of abusive behaviour and because we didn’t, we missed opportunities to remove him from the organisation. “We are truly sorry that Carrick was able to continue to use his role as a police officer to prolong the suffering of his victims.” London police chief Cressida Dick resigns after scandals rock force The Met revealed that a thorough review of former soldier Carrick’s service and complaints record was conducted in October 2021, after he was first charged with rape. That found he was already on police systems for a series of off-duty incidents before and after he joined the force. Yet none of those complaints of rape, domestic violence and harassment led to criminal sanctions or internal disciplinary proceedings. The police watchdog is now reviewing the Met’s handling of Carrick, while a wider probe is under way into other potential misconduct of other officers. They include more than 1,600 cases of alleged sexual offences or domestic violence, the Met said. I am absolutely sickened by the truly abhorrent offences that David Carrick has committed. Serious questions must be answered about how he was able to abuse his position as an officer. My full statement: pic.twitter.com/ivELBXLpL9 — Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) January 16, 2023 A damning report published last November found that a culture of misogyny and predatory behaviour was “prevalent” in many police forces in England and Wales, fuelled by lax vetting standards. His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr found it was “too easy for the wrong people to both join and stay in the police”. He also highlighted “significant questions” over the recruitment of “thousands” of officers, undermining public trust. Another report, published last October, found most Met police personnel who were repeatedly accused of misconduct kept their jobs. “People are getting away both with misconduct but also criminal behaviour,” senior civil servant Louise Casey said. Sarah Everard murder: ex-British policeman gets life without parole Met failings came to light after Wayne Couzens, who like Carrick was an officer in an armed unit protecting MPs and foreign diplomats, killed Sarah Everard in March 2021. He snatched her from the street in south London by falsely claiming she had broken coronavirus lockdown rules. He then raped and strangled her. But it later emerged that the Met had failed to take action against him for allegedly exposing himself in 2015. The Couzens case, and that of several other officers prosecuted for severe misconduct in public office, prompted the Met to promise to root out the corrupt. Met Commissioner Mark Rowley has set up a new unit using tactics usually deployed against organised crime to “go after the racists and misogynists who are undermining us”. Investigators said Carrick met some of his victims through online dating apps or on social occasions and used his position as a police officer to gain their trust. Chief crown prosecutor Jaswant Narwal said he then “relentlessly degraded, belittled, sexually assaulted and raped women”.

London police under fire after officer admits to 24 counts of rape

David Carrick committed a string of sexual assaults over nearly 2 decades, abusing his position to gain his victims’ trust The case raises questions about vetting procedures at the UK’s largest police force, and why it took so long to have Carrick removed

David Carrick committed a string of sexual assaults over nearly 2 decades, abusing his position to gain his victims’ trust

The case raises questions about vetting procedures at the UK’s largest police force, and why it took so long to have Carrick removed