Probe into handling of claims against rapist Met cop David Carrick
Watchdog launches probe into handling of allegations against rapist Met cop David Carrick by 10 current and former police officers
The police watchdog today revealed it is investigating 10 current or former police officers and staff as part of a probe into how allegations against serial rapist David Carrick’s were handled.
Carrick, 48, became one of the UK’s worst sex offenders after admitting to 85 rapes and serious sexual assaults before sentencing in February. He is currently serving life with a minimum of 30 years after his offences against 12 different women.
The Metropolitan Police has been accused of missing repeated opportunities to catch the rapist, who joined force in 2001 before becoming an armed officer with the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command in 2009.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been investigating four claims made against him between 2002 and 2021.
Today, it said five serving Met officers – a detective constable, detective sergeant, detective inspector and two chief inspectors – were told this month that they are under investigation for gross misconduct.
A former Met officer, now at the City of London Police force, and two retired Met officers – a former police constable and former superintendent – have also been advised they are under investigation for gross misconduct.
A serving Met staff member and a police constable have been advised they are under investigation for misconduct.
David Carrick, 48, became one of the UK’s worst sex offenders after admitting to 85 rapes and serious sexual assaults before sentencing in February
He is currently serving life with a minimum of 30 years after his offences against 12 different women
IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: ‘After carrying out an initial scoping review of police handling of allegations against Carrick earlier this year, we made the decision to launch investigations into multiple alleged failings of police officers and staff who assessed and/or investigated allegations made against him.
‘If these matters had been adequately progressed, Carrick could potentially have faced gross misconduct proceedings and been dismissed from the police service years before he was eventually arrested.
‘While we’ve notified a number of officers that they are under investigation, this does not mean that disciplinary proceedings will automatically follow.
READ MORE – My hell at hands of the monster in uniform: One of Carrick’s many victims speaks out
‘At the end of each investigation, we will determine whether any individuals should face disciplinary proceedings.
‘From our scoping review, we’ve also identified a number of learning opportunities for individual forces as well as national recommendations which we are currently progressing.’
Carrick’s trial heard how he repeatedly and brutally raped his victims and made use of violence and coercive control, including locking one women in a tiny cupboard as a punishment, strangulation, threatening victims with a gun, urinating on one victim and using women as ‘sex slaves’.
Since he was found guilty in February ‘more than ten’ people have contacted police with further information or fresh allegations against the former police officer, the Guardian reported.
Sources told the paper the process is advanced enough for officers to have asked new complainants whether they would consider testifying and going to court for a potential new trial.
It is understood some of those who have made allegations of sexual offences against him would be prepared to follow them through to a new trial.
Carrick’s victims bravely spoke out about their horrifying ordeals at his hands.
Carrick was a serving police officer at the time of all of the offences and was working for the Met at the time of his arrest
The Met has been accused of missing repeated opportunities to catch the depraved rapist
One woman told how he told her he was ‘the safest person’ she could be with when he met her in order to lure her to his home in 2003, before grabbing her by the throat and holding a gun to her head before raping her.
While choking the woman he told her he was going to be the last thing she saw.
READ MORE – More than 330 Met police officers are waiting to face gross misconduct charges, force admits
After raping the victim multiple times, he sat with her in the sitting room and talked to her ‘as if nothing had happened’.
She sustained external and internal injuries including bite marks to the neck and collar bone, bruising to the breasts, thighs, buttocks, wrists and ankles, where she had been pinned down and dragged on the floor.
She had clumps of hair missing and was bleeding in several places.
The court heard Carrick installed cameras throughout his flat so that he could monitor the women in his life around the clock, even while at work.
He would send his victims photographs of him in police uniform and holding police firearms, once doing this and writing: ‘Remember I am the boss.’
Two of the women were kept in a small cupboard under the stairs at Carrick’s home – one 10 times – while some were urinated on or attacked with a belt, the court was told.
In July the IOPC said it is making use of a rarely-used power to look into concerns that serving officers repeatedly failed to take appropriate action when serious criminal allegations were made against Carrick.
Carrick’s trial heard how he repeatedly and brutally raped his victims and engaged in violence and coercive control
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