News - Middle East: A serving London police officer has has admitted carrying out 24 counts of rape in a near two decade-long campaign of abuse against women. He pleaded guilty to 49 charges relating to 12 victims.

David Carrick, formerly an armed officer in London’s Metropolitan Police force, pleaded guilty to charges of rape, false imprisonment and indecent assault before the capital’s Southwark Crown Court, making him one of Britain's most prolific serial sex offenders. 

At the Old Bailey criminal court in London last month, Carrick admitted to charges against women with many of those attacks involving violence that would have left victims physically injured.

The attacks took place from 2003 to 2020 when Carrick worked as a response officer and later within the Met Police’s parliamentary and diplomatic command, when he used to guard the UK Parliament, the prime minister’s residence and foreign embassies.

Carrick was suspended from duty upon his arrest in October 2021. Most of his offences took place in Hertfordshire, a county north of London where he lived.

The UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) chief, Jaswant Narwal called Carrick’s case one of the “most shocking” she’s ever seen.

“The scale of the degradation Carrick subjected his victims to is unlike anything I have encountered in my 34 years with the Crown Prosecution Service,” she said.

Investigators said they discovered a pattern of behavior where Carrick used his position as a police officer to gain the trust of his victims, who feared they would not be believed because of his position.

Carrick served in his formal position despite numerous complaints against him and the force ignored eight warnings about his abusive behavior, allegations of malicious communications and burglary against an ex-partner.