A British cop, who served in London’s Metropolitan Police force, has been jailed for 30 years after carrying out numerous sex crimes over an 18-year period.
David Carrick was unmasked as one of the country’s most prolific sex offenders in history after he pleaded guilty to 49 charges – including 24 counts of rape – covering a total of 85 offenses.
Carrick, who joined the force in 2001 after a stint in the British Army, appeared at London’s Southwark Crown Court on Monday where he was handed 36 life sentences.
The 48-year-old, who showed no emotion in court, was sitting in the dock with his eyes closed and his head down, according to Sky News.
A judge said Carrick acted like he was “untouchable,” using his position of power to take “monstrous advantage of women” between 2003 and 2020.
Following sentencing, the Attorney General’s Office said it had received “multiple requests” to review Carrick’s jail term with many suggesting it’s too “lenient” for the crimes committed.
“We can confirm we have received multiple requests relating to David Carrick’s sentence under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme,” a spokesperson said.
Carrick was only suspended after a second rape complaint was made against him in October 2021. The force said Carrick was investigated over complaints made about him in 2001 and 2017, but no charges were ever brought.
“David Carrick’s crimes were unspeakably evil. The detail is harrowing,” Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said in a statement.
“He subjected these victims and survivors to the most degrading and inhumane treatment and yet they still showed the courage to come forward and to provide the evidence that led to his conviction.”
“He exploited his position as a police officer in the most disgusting way. He should not have been a police officer,” Rowley continued, adding they the force wasn’t “rigorous enough in our approach.”
“I want to again reiterate my apology on behalf of the Met. We are truly sorry,” Rowley added.
The court heard that Carrick would meet his victims through dating apps, and used his role as a police officer to gain their trust.
He admitted to raping some of the women on multiple occasions over the years.
Several victims bravely told the court that Carrick would lock them in a closet under the stairs in his home for hours on end without food. Some of the women were forced to clean his house while naked.
Carrick would physically abuse and demean some of his victims, including belt-whipping and urinating on them. He also controlled some of them financially and in some cases, making sure the women cut off contact with other men and their children entirely.
The court heard that Carrick called his victims “slaves,” “fat” and “lazy” and told them when they could eat and sleep.
Peter Burt, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said the criminal justice system had failed victims of sexual abuse.
“We know there are victims of other rape and serious sexual offenses out there and that many of you may be worried about being believed or whether you’ll ever see justice done,” Burt said in a statement.
“We hope seeing Carrick, a prolific abuser, manipulator and rapist, behind bars will encourage other women to come forward, knowing we will do all we can to hold the person responsible to account for their crime.”
