Braverman fears more 'shocking cases' of criminal cops will be found as forces 'double down on hunt for David Carricks'
17 January 2023, 12:54 | Updated: 17 January 2023, 13:37
Home secretary Suella Braverman fears more "shocking cases" of police corruption and abuse will come to light in the wake of David Carrick's rape admission.
She said police forces including the Met need to “double down” on hunting down rotten cops to ensure the public keeps faith in officers.
Carrick's crimes have appalled the nation at a time when public trust in their cops is at an all time low following a string of high-profile cases involving officers committing sex crimes or sharing misogynistic messages.
Carrick, who has now been formally sacked from the Met, admitted a string sex crimes including 24 counts of rape on Monday.
"There is still some way to go to ensure that the force can command the trust of the people that it serves," Ms Braverman told the Commons on Tuesday.
"It is vital that the Metropolitan Police and other forces double down on their efforts to root out corrupt officers.
"This may mean more shocking cases come to light in the short term.
"It's a matter of the utmost importance that there are robust processes in place to stop the wrong people joining the police in the first place.
"Which is why the Government has invested in improving recruitment places and supporting vetting as part of other £3bn that we have provided for the police uplift programme."
She said she was encouraged by the action taken by new Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and the new anti-corruption command.
She said bureaucracy and processes appeared to have "prevailed over ethics and common sense" so she had announced an internal review into police dismissals, with the terms of reference published today.
Ms Braverman said of the victims: "It is intolerable for them to have suffered as they have. They were manipulated and isolated and subjected to horrific abuse.
"For anyone to have gone through such torment is harrowing, but for it to have happened at the hands of someone they entrusted to keep people safe is almost beyond comprehension."
Sir Mark had to apologise and admit Carrick should never have been a police officer.
The Met missed nine opportunities to arrest him, before he finally admitted to 49 separate offences against 12 women.
The 47-year-old from Stevenage was a diplomatic protection officer during the 17 years when he committed his crimes.
He was brought to the attention of police nine times between 2000 and 2020, it is thought, but he managed to pass two round of vetting.
He harassed former girlfriends and assaulted a number of women.
Included in the 49 counts Carrick has admitted to are:
- 24 counts of rape
- 9 counts of sexual assault
- 5 counts of assault by penetration
- 3 counts of coercive and controlling behaviour
- 3 counts of false imprisonment
- 2 counts of attempted rape
- 1 count of attempted sexual assault by penetration
- 1 count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent
- 1 count of indecent assault
No 10 said trust in the police had been "shattered" after Carrick's guilty pleas.
