David Carrick: Met Police investigated over handling of reports

David Carrick "cast a dark shadow on policing", said IOPC's Mel Palmer

Four separate investigations have begun into the Metropolitan Police's handling of reports about former officer and serial rapist David Carrick.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating whether Met officers repeatedly failed to take appropriate action when criminal allegations were made against Carrick.

It will look into the conduct of eight Met officers and one staff member.

Carrick was handed 36 life terms for a series of rapes while a police officer.

The 48-year-old, who committed most of his offences in Hertfordshire, admitted 49 charges, including 24 counts of rape against 12 women.

IOPC's Mel Palmer said Carrick had "cast a dark shadow on policing".

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The IOPC said it had taken the "unusual step" to begin the investigations over concerns the Met did not identify any conduct matters at the conclusion of a review it had asked the force to carry out last year.

The force was asked to look into any reports that could have led to action being taken against Carrick sooner.

The watchdog said it had found enough evidence to begin four separate investigations.

The officers involved include some who have since retired and one who now works for another force.

They range in rank from police constable to chief inspector.

The IOPC said it had identified repeated failures to progress conduct investigations against Carrick

Six of the people being investigated were, at the time, from the Met's Department of Professional Standards (DPS).

Four reports being investigated

One of the investigations will look at a 2002 allegation of harassment made against Carrick by a former partner.

Carrick was a probationary constable at the time and, if subject to a disciplinary investigation at that time, he could have been removed from the force and stripped of his status as a police officer, the IOPC said.

The allegation was investigated by the Met and Carrick was spoken to by his line manager, but no referral was made to its DPS, the IOPCS said.

The second case will look at a 2016 report of harassment and stalking made by a former partner, which was investigated by Hampshire Constabulary.

No further action was taken in respect of the alleged crimes, but Hampshire made the Met's DPS aware of the allegations, the IOPC said.

The third case will consider a 2019 report of a woman being attacked and dragged by Carrick out of his house.

The report was investigated by Hertfordshire Constabulary and no further action was taken in respect of the alleged crime, the IOPC said.

The force also informed the Met's DPS of the allegations.

The final investigation will look at a February 2021 report of a woman allegedly being raped by Carrick.

It was initially recorded by Sussex Police and, when Carrick was identified as the suspect, it was passed on to Hertfordshire Constabulary due to the location of the offence, the IOPC said.

The Met began misconduct investigations into the second, third and fourth reports but they were not progressed because the forces investigating the allegations said no further action was being taken.

Carrick did not face disciplinary action for any of the serious allegations made and remained a police officer until his arrest in October 2021.

'Potentially missed opportunities'

Ms Palmer said: "The nature and extent of [Carrick's] offending raised serious questions about whether disciplinary action should have been taken against him when serious allegations were made about his behaviour."

She said a review had identified repeated failures to progress conduct investigations against Carrick.

In two of the cases, his name was removed from the Met's records after the criminal investigations were dropped, Ms Palmer said.

"This meant that some prior allegations made against Carrick did not show up in the system when further allegations were later made, leading to MPS officers being unable to build a complete picture of his pattern of offending," she said.

"These were potentially missed opportunities to pursue gross misconduct investigations against Carrick, which may have led to his dismissal years before he was eventually arrested."

The IOPC will decide whether the nine people should face disciplinary proceedings when the investigations are finished.

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