The Metropolitan Police has said it is “truly sorry” for failing to act sooner as one of its serving officers admitted a string of sexual offences and rapes against a dozen women over an 18-year period.
David Carrick, 48, had come to the attention of police over nine incidents, including allegations of rape, domestic violence and harassment, between 2000 and 2021 but was able to continue working because the force failed to spot his pattern of offending.
Carrick, who joined the Met in 2001 before becoming an armed officer with the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command in 2009, faced no criminal sanctions or misconduct findings, and was only suspended after being arrested over a second rape complaint in October 2021.
He appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Monday to plead guilty to four counts of rape, false imprisonment, and indecent assault, relating to a 40-year-old woman in 2003, following earlier guilty pleas in relation to other victims.
In total Carrick, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, has admitted to 49 charges, totalling 71 sexual offences with 24 rapes, relating to 12 women between 2003 and 2020.
Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray, the Met’s lead for professionalism, said Carrick‘s offending was “unprecedented in policing” and apologised to his victims for failing to remove him from the force.
Here is the Met’s apology to victims in full:
Ms Gray said: “On behalf of the Metropolitan Police, I want to apologise to the women who have suffered at the hands of David Carrick.
“I commend their outstanding bravery in coming forward and reporting the horrific crimes they were victims of.
“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.
“He has devastated women’s lives. He has had a devastating impact on the trust and confidence of women and girls that we are working so hard to earn. He has devastated colleagues.
“He used the fact he was a police officer to control and coerce his victims. We know they felt unable to come forward sooner because he told them they would not be believed.
“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.
“I would also like to recognise the work of the Hertfordshire Constabulary officers whose thorough investigation has meant Carrick’s victims have been spared the further ordeal of a trial.
“The duration and nature of Carrick’s offending is unprecedented in policing. But regrettably, he is not the only Met officer to have been charged with serious sexual offences in the recent past.
“Our work to identify and rid the Met of corrupt officers is determined and focussed.
“As the commissioner has said, we will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who are engaged in corrupt or criminal behaviour using all the available tactics and techniques at our disposal.”
