WIREDGOV

A Metropolitan Police officer who degraded, raped and sexually assaulted women yesterday admitted his crimes.

An investigation into David Carrick, 47, began in October 2021 when a woman reported him to police. Since then, a further 12 women have come forward and reported being assaulted by him.

The case spans a 17-year-period with offences dating from 2003 to 2020. Some of the victims were in relationships with Carrick, relentlessly manipulated, financially cut off and isolated from their friends as well as repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped. Others were women he met socially but still degraded and sexually abused.

On 13 December 2022, Carrick pleaded guilty to 43 charges relating to 11 victims and has yesterday at Southwark Crown Court pleaded guilty to a further six counts including rape and sexual assault of a further victim.

The 49 charges he has pleaded guilty to include some charges which cover multiple offences, meaning Carrick has admitted to no less than 71 instances of serious sexual offending.

Building the case

The issue of consent has been fundamental to this case. During interviews with the police Carrick said the offences were consensual or that they had not happened at all.

In this case, as with many other rape and serious sexual assault cases, the evidence may have appeared limited.

However, it was the testimonies of the women that provided the key evidence against Carrick as they were strong, authentic and consistent, as more and more victims came forward.

The striking similarities in the victim accounts built a picture of a man who had manipulated them, assaulting them physically, sexually and also mentally. Recognising the impact of his damaging psychological offending, which involved altering the victims’ daily routines, isolating them, controlling what they wore and when they slept, the Crown Prosecution Service also pursued coercive and controlling behaviour charges.

This case has involved reviewing 300 witness statements and around 3-4,000 pages of evidence, which has resulted in Carrick pleading guilty to numerous charges including 24 counts of rape, three counts of coercive and controlling behaviour and nine counts of sexual assault.

Shilpa Shah, the Senior Crown Prosecutor in the case, said: “With a vast number of charges for rape and serious sexual assault, as well as victims spanning a 17-year-period, this is one of the most significant cases the Crown Prosecution Service has dealt with.

“It was harrowing seeing how victims were relentlessly manipulated; they were financially cut off and isolated from their friends and family and repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted. Carrick took so much from them both physically and mentally.

“It didn’t matter to Carrick who the victim was – a new girlfriend, a partner, a friend or a stranger – he would still abuse them.”

“Although the names of the women who showed tremendous courage in overcoming this manipulation to report these abhorrent crimes won’t ever be made public, they need to be commended, and I want to thank them for coming forward and providing the evidence we needed to secure today’s conviction and end Carrick’s offending.”