Serial rapist served as officer for 20 years as Met Police failed to spot ‘escalating pattern’ of abuse

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Police failed to identify an “escalating pattern” of abuse towards women by serial rapist David Carrick, leaving him free to target more victims for two decades.

The former Metropolitan Police firearms officer was allowed to remain in the force despite police recording nine incidents, including rape and violent assault, because he was never prosecuted.

Carrick, now 48, started his campaign of abuse before joining up, with the Metropolitan Police investigating him in 2000 for allegedly harassing and burgling a former partner after refusing to accept the end of the relationship.

No charges were brought and when he was vetted as part of his application to join the same force the following year, he passed the checks and was allowed to become a constable.

Despite coming to the attention of police again in 2002, 2004, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021, none of the incidents resulted in prosecution and Scotland Yard repeatedly decided that he had “no case to answer” for disciplinary proceedings.

Months after Sarah Everard was murdered by another serving Met officer in March 2021, Carrick was finally arrested by Hertfordshire Police for raping one of his victims and placed on restricted duties.

But the investigation ended with no action being taken and in September 2021, the Metropolitan Police said it “determined that he had no case to answer in relation to any misconduct matters” and lifted all restrictions.

That same month, then-commissioner Dame Cressida Dick vowed to do “everything in my power to ensure we learn any lessons” from the murder of Everard, adding: “Here in the Met I commit to keep working with others to improve women’s safety.”

Carrick has admitted 49 offences, including 24 rapes, against 12 women between 2003 and 2020 – all committed during his career in the Metropolitan Police.

Senior officers said that Carrick’s colleagues had never raised concerns about his conduct, despite nicknaming him “b*****d Dave”, and that although he was the subject of five public complaints between 2002 and 2008 none were of a sexual nature.

Allegations of rudeness, incivility and the use of force were all dismissed, withdrawn or “dealt with by management action locally”.

Assistant commissioner Barbara Gray, who is responsible for anti-corruption and misconduct issues in the Metropolitan Police, admitted that a retrospective review of incidents investigated by Scotland Yard, Hertfordshire Constabulary, Thames Valley Police and Hampshire Police revealed a “pattern of behaviour” that should have been spotted and acted on.

“Carrick is a prolific serial sex offender who preyed on women over a period of many years, abusing his position as a police officer and committing the most horrific, degrading crimes,” she told a press conference.

“While much of his offending was not known to the Met, there was an escalation of abusive behaviours that should have been identified.”

Ms Gray said there was “no explanation” she could provide on why officers in the Directorate of Professional Standards appeared to have dealt with each known incident individually, rather than looking back at Carrick’s history and joining the dots.

“The man should not have been in the police, there’s no doubt about that,” the senior officer admitted. “The pattern of offending should most certainly have been identified.”

She did not directly answer questions on whether she felt Scotland Yard was responsible for leaving him free to rape more women through its failings, but commended the bravery of the victims who came forward and said: “I am truly sorry they have suffered at the hands of this man.”

Ms Gray said that issues relating to the case had been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, while there is an internal review into Carrick’s unit and a probe into serving police officers and staff subject to past allegations of sexual offences and domestic abuse.

“The duration and nature of Carrick’s offending is unprecedented in policing and regrettably he is not the only Met officer to be charged with serious sexual offences in the recent past,” Ms Gray added.

“Our work to rid the Met of these people is urgent and it is far-reaching. We will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who corrupt our integrity.”

Carrick technically remains a serving Metropolitan Police officer, because disciplinary processes could not start during the live court case, but an “accelerated misconduct hearing” is to be held on Tuesday where he will be formally dismissed.

It is less than 18 months since he was allowed to remain in the force after being arrested for raping one of his victims – a crime he later admitted. The assistant commissioner claimed that she would “not expect anyone with his pattern of behaviour to be in the police service today”.

Scotland Yard said that vetting requirements had become “more robust” since 2017, when Carrick last passed checks, and that someone with Carrick’s history would not be allowed to join the force or pass re-vetting.

A statement added: “Cases where no further action is taken in relation to criminal allegations are now more likely to be further interrogated to identify any underlying concerns.

“We have a dedicated team of officers who make up the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Offences Unit in our Directorate of Professional Standards who are taking allegations forward, supporting victims and ensuring we build evidence against officers where we believe they have a case to answer.”