A senior police officer has revealed that a written confession from serial rapist and former Metropolitan Police officer David Carrick remained undiscovered for 35 years, a document that could have dramatically altered the course of history and prevented his future crimes.
The Hidden Confession
Dated 29 August 1990, the note was filed away with Carrick's medical records. In it, he admitted to abusing a 12-year-old girl. At the time a teenager, Carrick would later become one of Britain's most notorious sexual predators, using his position as an armed officer to evade detection for years.
The document only came to light during a second investigation, after Carrick, who is from Stevenage, was already jailed for life in 2023 for a horrific catalogue of offences against 12 women, including 48 rapes.
Leading the Hertfordshire Police investigation, Detective Superintendent Iain Moor stated that the future would have looked profoundly different had this confession been acted upon in 1990.
"It's very difficult to apply today's standards back to the 1990s," Mr Moor said. "Obviously, we have multi-agency safeguarding hubs now. We have mechanisms for reports to come in from GPs, from medical professionals. But I think had something occurred and the police became aware back in 1990, then it is possible that the offending could have been picked up at that point and then the future looks very different."
Contents of the Chilling Note
Signed from "Dave", Carrick's note attempted to justify his actions. He wrote that the girl was "not crazy" and that the abuse was "true", but claimed he had stopped about four months prior.
"I know how (the girl) must feel. That's why I stopped and promised I would never go near her again and I have kept that promise and I always will," he wrote.
He even offered to disappear, adding: "Sorry to you and especially sorry to (the girl) but she does not have to worry ever again. Please do not try to talk about it."
The letter was written after the victim bravely told her mother what was happening. Tragically, no further action was taken, with the victim stating the matter was simply "brushed under the carpet".
Justice Served and a Call for Further Victims
In February 2023, Carrick was finally handed 36 life sentences with a minimum term of 32 years after pleading guilty to 71 sexual offences.
Describing the subsequent investigation that uncovered the 1990 note, Mr Moor explained that an appeal was made for other victims to come forward. "It was my belief there were other victims out there," he said. He commended the bravery of the women who came forward, acknowledging the huge courage it takes for victims of such offences to speak out.
Mr Moor emphasised the importance of the second prosecution, stating it was absolutely the right thing to do so the victims' voices could be heard, offering them a path towards closure and recovery.
The discovery of the 1990 case has cast Carrick's offending in a new light, revealing it began with a victim of a very young age and expanding the known timeline of his crimes from 17 years to around 30 years.
When questioned about other missed opportunities to stop Carrick sooner, Mr Moor confirmed there had been "potential opportunities", though some aspects remain under investigation.
The senior officer believes there could be more victims who have not yet felt able to come forward. "There are varying reasons why people might not be ready to come forward and we fully respect those," he said. "But if there are people out there, we would urge them to come forward and we would investigate their offences."
