Multiple Police Officers Now Face Disciplinary Action Over David Carrick Investigation
Following an investigation by the IOPC, several current and former Met police officers are facing disciplinary action for ignoring complaints against convicted serial rapist David Carrick
New Developments
In May 2024, Tales From the Underworld covered the disturbing case of David Carrick, a former police officer with London’s Metropolitan Police. Since its publication, new developments have emerged as a result of investigations into departmental misconduct.
Four police officers and one staff member are finally facing disciplinary action years after multiple warnings about former Metropolitan police officer and serial rapist David Carrick were repeatedly ignored.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has concluded that serious failings by internal misconduct units allowed Carrick to remain on duty, even after multiple reports of abuse. Now, after years of silence, internal hearings may finally bring some accountability.
Case Overview
David Carrick, now 50 years old, was a former officer with the Metropolitan Police. He joined the Met in August 2001 and worked in some of the most trusted and high-security units in London, including the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, which he served in from 2009 until his arrest in October 2021.
Carrick abused his position and the trust placed in him as a police officer to manipulate, isolate, humiliate, and sexually assault numerous women. Using dating apps like Tinder or Badoo to meet victims, he would often flash his badge while on dates or during encounters, reassuring women that they were “safe” with him.
Instead, they were lured into a terrifying trap and then subjected to repeated rape, psychological manipulation, violence, and degrading treatment. Some were locked in small spaces, denied food, and had their movement restricted.
Between December 2022 and January 2023, Carrick pleaded guilty to more than 50 charges relating to the sexual abuse of at least 12 women, including 23 counts of rape, nine counts of sexual assault, and other related charges.
In February 2023 at Southwark Crown Court, Carrick was sentenced to 36 life sentences, with a minimum of 30 years and 239 days before he can be considered for parole.
Following his conviction, the scale of Carrick’s crimes led to widespread criticism of the Metropolitan Police and how it handles complaints and background checks. The Home Secretary at the time, Suella Braverman, called the revelations “appalling” and demanded urgent reform in vetting and disciplinary processes.
New Charges Announced
In October 2024, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced new criminal charges against David Carrick involving incidents that happened long before his service with the Metropolitan Police Service.
Carrick was charged with five counts of indecent assault involving a girl under the age of 14 in Salisbury between 1989 and 1990. These alleged offences occurred when Carrick was still a teenager himself, long before his police career began.
He was also charged with two counts of rape, one count of sexual assault, and one count of coercive and controlling behaviour in Stevenage between 2014 and 2019. These relate to a second woman who reported years of abuse while Carrick was serving as a Metropolitan Police officer.
The investigation was led by Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Major Crime Unit. On October 7, 2024, the Crown Prosecution Service formally approved the charges under its Full Code Test, meaning there was sufficient evidence for prosecution, and it was in the public interest to proceed. In November 2024, Carrick entered not guilty pleas on all charges.
A pre-trial hearing was held on March 14, 2025, to review case management and trial logistics. The trial has been scheduled to begin in November 2025.
Prior Warnings Ignored
In July 2023, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) began four independent investigations into how the Metropolitan Police and other forces responded to several allegations against David Carrick years before his eventual arrest in 2021, raising serious concerns about missed opportunities to stop him earlier.
In 2002, A former partner accused Carrick of harassment and assault when he was still a probationary constable. He was questioned by his line manager, but no referral was made to the Met’s Department of Professional Standards (DPS), a major breach of internal procedure.
In 2016, another former partner reported harassment and stalking to Hampshire Constabulary. Hampshire Criminal Investigation did not press charges, though they did notify the Met’s DPS.
In 2019, Hertfordshire Constabulary investigated a reported assault on a former partner. The woman said Carrick had physically and emotionally abused her. Once again, no criminal charges followed, but the Met’s DPS was informed.
In February 2021, a woman came forward to report that Carrick had raped her the previous year.
The complaint was first handled by Sussex Police before being passed to Hertfordshire Police, where Carrick was identified as the suspect. The criminal investigation was dropped due to insufficient evidence, as the Met conducted its own internal inquiry and concluded there was no case to answer.
Between 2002 and 2021, these serious allegations against David Carrick were mishandled by different police forces, with repeated failures to escalate or discipline properly. These lapses allowed the misconduct to go unchecked, putting numerous civilians in danger even as the complaints piled up.
IOPC Investigation
On September 30, 2024, after more than a year of investigation, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed that disciplinary proceedings would be brought against police staff linked to the mishandling of these complaints.
In the 2002 harassment case, the IOPC determined that two inspectors involved would have faced misconduct hearings had they not already retired at the time of the review.
For the stalking and harassment allegation in 2016, the IOPC found two Met officers had failed to properly investigate the misconduct allegation. One of the officers had since moved to the City of London Police, but both of them are now facing misconduct meetings.
In the 2019 Hertfordshire assault case, the IOPC did not recommend formal misconduct punishment, but stated that two chief inspectors from the DPS failed to follow up adequately. Hence, they were given “reflective practice reviews”, a form of professional learning from mistakes rather than punishment.
For the rape case reported in 2021, the IOPC found that the way the case was supervised raised serious concerns. As a result, a detective sergeant is now facing a gross misconduct hearing for poor supervision.
A detective constable and a police staff member are also facing misconduct meetings for their roles in failing to escalate the case appropriately.
Across all four cases, the IOPC concluded officers and supervisors failed to properly investigate misconduct inquiries tied to serious criminal conduct by Carrick. These proceedings marked the first time any staff linked to the Carrick complaints were formally held accountable within the Met.
The IOPC made it clear that Carrick’s case was not just about one man’s crimes but also about systemic failure.
Closing Thoughts
The fallout from the David Carrick case exposed years of ignored complaints, a broken system, and a culture where misconduct was swept under the rug. For nearly two decades, Carrick used the trust that comes with a badge to commit horrific abuse.
His victims endured pain no one should face, and their bravery in coming forward opened the door to change. Now, every disciplinary review, every vetting reform, every public hearing to be implemented and held carries the weight of their voices.
The hope now is that the lessons learned from these failures prevent them from occurring again.
Sources:
Vikram, Dodd. “Four Officers Face Disciplinary Action over David Carrick Investigation.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 30 Sept. 2024, www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/sep/30/four-officers-face-disciplinary-action-over-david-carrick-investigation.
IOPC, Staff, and Media team member. “Home.” Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), 30 Sept. 2024, www.policeconduct.gov.uk/news/four-officers-and-police-staff-member-face-disciplinary-proceedings-over-david-carrick.
“Officers Face Action for ‘failures’ over Serial Rapist David Carrick.” ITV News, 30 Sept. 2024, www.itv.com/news/anglia/2024-09-30/officers-face-action-for-failures-over-serial-rapist-david-carrick.