Met officers to be disciplined over investigation

Four Metropolitan Police officers and a member of police staff will face disciplinary proceedings for their handling of allegations against the serial rapist police officer David Carrick, the police watchdog has said.

Carrick, of Stevenage, Hertfordshire, was jailed for at least 30 years in February 2023 after he admitted dozens of rapes and sexual offences against 12 women.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said a detective sergeant, three officers and a police staff member allegedly breached “police standards of professional behaviour”.

Four reports of serious offending were made against Carrick by former partners between 2002 and 2021, while he served as a Met officer, the IOPC added.

IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said it had identified “several missed opportunities” where officers had failed to pursue misconduct investigations against Carrick.

“Had these matters been progressed appropriately, Carrick may have potentially faced gross misconduct proceedings and been dismissed from the force well before he was eventually arrested,” she added.

The IOPC announced in July 2023 it was carrying out four independent investigations into what actions were taken by the Met, after it emerged four reports of serious offending had been made against Carrick by former partners while he served as a Met officer.

They included two reports of assault and harassment, made in 2002 and 2016, a report of assault made in 2019 and a report of rape and sexual assault in 2019.

The IOPC said in each case, either no further action was taken against Carrick or the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) was not informed.

“We found that a detective sergeant should face a gross misconduct hearing for potential breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour relating to their alleged failure to supervise adequately that Carrick conduct investigation,” the IOPC said.

“We also found that a detective constable and a police staff member should face misconduct meetings.”

The IOPC said those facing disciplinary proceedings all worked in the Met’s DPS at the time.

The Met, and City of London Police, where one of the officers is now based, will arrange disciplinary proceedings.