Officers under investigation for misconduct over David Carrick case

The home secretary said David Carrick's crimes were a "scar on our police"

A total of 12 serving and former police officers are being investigated for misconduct relating to the case of the serial rapist, David Carrick.

Former Metropolitan Police officer Carrick was convicted of 49 offences - including 24 rapes - in February.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating four claims made to the Met since 2002.

A spokesman said the body would determine if any of them would face disciplinary proceedings.

On Wednesday, the IOPC said 10 serving and former officers were under investigation for gross misconduct, and another officer and staff member for misconduct.

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Five serving Met officers, a detective constable, detective sergeant, detective inspector and two chief inspectors, are under investigation for gross misconduct.

A former Met officer, now serving with City of London Police, and two retired officers, a former police constable and former superintendent, are also under investigation.

A serving Met police staff member and a Met police constable are under investigation for misconduct.

Two officers from Wiltshire Police are also under investigation for gross misconduct over claims that the force failed to properly investigate a report made against Carrick in 2016.

Carrick, from Hertfordshire, was sentenced to 36 life terms in February.

The 48-year-old had committed violent and degrading sexual offences against a dozen women over two decades.

David Carrick was jailed for a minimum of 30 years in February

The IOPC announced in July that it was launching investigations into the way the Met handled complaints made against Carrick in 2002, 2016, 2019 and 2021 under a rarely-used power of initiative.

It is examining allegations that the officers may have breached police standards of professional behaviour by failing in their duty to adequately explore, investigate, supervise or oversee investigations into allegations made against Carrick while he was a serving police officer.

IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: "Our thoughts remain with all the women who were victims of David Carrick and reported this offending.

"After carrying out an initial scoping review of police handling of allegations against Carrick earlier this year, we made the decision to launch investigations into multiple alleged failings of police officers and staff who assessed and/or investigated allegations made against him.

"If these matters had been adequately progressed, Carrick could potentially have faced gross misconduct proceedings and been dismissed from the police service years before he was eventually arrested.

"While we've notified a number of officers that they are under investigation, this does not mean that disciplinary proceedings will automatically follow."