A Metropolitan Police officer from Stevenage who raped, sexually assaulted and falsely imprisoned women has pleaded guilty to a total of 49 offences.

An investigation into David Carrick, 47, began in October 2021 when a woman reported him to police for rape, and he was arrested at his Stevenage home. Since then, a further 12 women have come forward and reported being assaulted by him, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said.

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," the CPS said. "Others were women he met socially but still degraded and sexually abused."

On December 13, 2022, Carrick pleaded guilty to 43 charges relating to 11 victims, and has today (Monday) 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 71 instances of serious sexual offending.

Carrick was charged with offences which related to 13 women, but his not guilty plea in relation to one of the women was accepted, the CPS said.

A spokesperson for the CPS said: "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, the CPS said, and has resulted in Carrick pleading guilty to:

  • 24 counts of rape
  • Nine counts of sexual assault
  • Five counts of assault by penetration
  • Three counts of coercive and controlling behaviour
  • Three counts of false imprisonment
  • Two counts of attempted rape
  • One count of attempted sexual assault by penetration
  • One count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent
  • One count of indecent assault

Shilpa Shah, 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.”

The investigation was led by detectives from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Iain Moor, said: “I would like to commend all of the victims for their bravery in coming forward and would like to thank them for their courage in being prepared to take the stand to see justice served, if the case had gone to trial.

“They continue to be supported by specially trained officers and staff, and I hope this case will give anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault or rape in the past, and for whatever reason has not reported it, the courage to come forward.

“I would also like to commend my team who have worked incredibly hard to bring Carrick to justice. The police service is committed to tackling violence against women and girls in all its forms and I hope our response in this case serves to reassure victims of our commitment to them.”

DCI Moor added: “At no stage did Carrick give any consideration to the impact his brutal actions might have on his victims, and now he is facing a significant term in jail and being placed on the sex offender’s register.

“The details of David Carrick’s crimes are truly shocking, and I suspect many will be appalled and sickened by his actions, but I hope his victims, and the public more widely, are reassured that no-one is above the law and that the police service will relentlessly pursue those offenders who target women in this way.”

Carrick will reappear at Southwark Crown Court on February 6 for a sentencing hearing which is expected to last for two days.