In one of the most devastating cases of police corruption in British history, Metropolitan Police officer David Carrick has confessed to being a serial rapist who used his position of power to prey on women for nearly two decades.
The 48-year-old armed officer, who served in the same parliamentary and diplomatic protection unit as murderer Wayne Couzens, pleaded guilty to 49 serious offences at Southwark Crown Court. His crimes span an 18-year period between 2003 and 2020.
A Pattern of Predatory Behaviour
Carrick's admission includes 24 counts of rape against 12 different women, along with multiple charges of sexual assault, coercive control, and false imprisonment. The court heard how he used his status as a police officer to gain his victims' trust before subjecting them to horrific abuse.
"He systematically exploited his position to dominate and degrade women," said Chief Crown Prosecutor Shilpa Shah. "His victims were repeatedly told they wouldn't be believed because he was a police officer."
Missed Opportunities and Systemic Failures
The case has raised serious questions about vetting procedures within the Metropolitan Police. Despite nine separate incidents coming to police attention between 2000 and 2021 - including allegations of harassment, assault, and domestic violence - Carrick remained an armed officer with access to some of the country's most sensitive locations.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowland admitted: "We should have spotted his pattern of predatory behaviour. We failed to identify a man unfit to be a police officer, and I apologise to all his victims."
Wider Implications for Police Reform
This case follows the conviction of Wayne Couzens and comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the Metropolitan Police's culture and standards. The force is currently undergoing its largest-ever review of officers and staff, checking them against national police databases.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman described the case as "a sobering reminder of the need for constant vigilance in police vetting procedures" and pledged to support the Metropolitan Police in rooting out corrupt officers.
Carrick will be sentenced next month and faces a substantial prison term for what prosecutors have described as "one of the most shocking cases the police service has ever confronted."
