The Metropolitan Police is reviewing more than 1,600 cases of alleged sexual offences or domestic violence involving its own officers and staff.

It comes a serving officer turned out to be one of Britain’s most prolific sex offenders.

PC David Carrick – who was known to his colleagues as “B*****d Dave” – admitted dozens of rapes and sexual offences following attacks on 12 women.

He admitted 49 charges – including 24 rape counts – for crimes committed over an 18-year period.

The Met Police has now said a total of 1,633 cases involving 1,071 officers and staff are set to be reviewed.

The force said that accusations ranging from arguments to the most serious sexual crimes from the last 10 years are being checked to make sure that the appropriate decisions were made.

Scotland Yard added that most officers whose cases are reviewed will remain on duty without being subject to restrictions while the inquiries are carried out.

A spokesman said: “In the event that information was to emerge from a review that raised concerns then an officer or member of staff’s status would be reconsidered without delay.

“All new allegations against officers and staff are subject to robust risk management including restrictions and suspension where appropriate.”

It comes after Downing Street said Carrick’s crimes were “appalling” and urged forces to root out criminal officers “to restore the public’s trust which has been shattered”.

Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the force had “failed” and Carrick “should not have been a police officer”.

The force has apologised after it emerged Carrick came to the attention of officers over nine previous incidents, including claims of rape and domestic violence – but faced no criminal sanctions or misconduct findings over those allegations.

Carrick joined the Met in August 2001 after serving with the Army and worked with the force’s parliamentary and diplomatic command from 2009.

The armed officer, whose role included policing parliamentary, government and diplomatic premises, was only suspended after a second rape complaint was made against him in October 2021.

The Met said Carrick was vetted in 2001 and again in 2017, and passed on both occasions.

The court heard that Carrick met some of his victims through online dating sites, such as Tinder and Badoo, or during social occasions – and used his position as a police officer to gain their trust.

The 48-year-old admitted raping nine of the women, some on multiple occasions over months or years, with many of those attacks involving violence that would have left them physically injured.

Some victims were locked in a small cupboard under the stairs in his Hertfordshire home for hours without food or forced to clean his house naked.

Carrick whipped one woman with a belt, urinated on some of his victims, and told them when they could eat and sleep.

He called women “fat and lazy” or his “slave” as he controlled them financially, isolated them from friends and family, and forbade them from speaking with other men or even their own children.

Read more:
Met Police officer pleads guilty to string of sex offences including 24 rape charges
Investigation into Met Police officers uncovers racism, misogyny and harassment

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‘We are truly sorry… we missed opportunities’

The Metropolitan Police had already faced heavy criticism of its internal disciplinary procedures, with Baroness Casey finding the system is racist and misogynist.

Baroness Casey also found that allegations of sexual misconduct or discrimination are less likely to result in a case to answer than other claims.

The peer said that some officers and staff were getting away with misconduct and even criminal behaviour.

Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley had previously said he believes hundreds of corrupt officers are serving within the force and should be sacked.

National concerns have also been raised about how police forces deal with allegations of domestic abuse made against officers and staff.

Watchdogs found that there were systemic weaknesses in the way that the claims are dealt with following a so-called super-complaint, a system used to raise wider issues in policing, made by women’s justice campaigners.