All police forces have been asked to check their officers and staff against national police databases in the wake of the David Carrick case, the Home Office has said.

Forces are being asked to take the action to “identify anyone who has slipped through the net”.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has also asked the College of Policing to strengthen the statutory code of practice for police vetting, making the obligations all forces must legally follow stricter and clearer.

In a statement, she said: “David Carrick’s sickening crimes are a stain on the police and he should never have been allowed to remain as an officer for so long.

The Comet:

“We are taking immediate steps to ensure predatory individuals are not only rooted out of the force, but that vetting and standards are strengthened to ensure they cannot join the police in the first place.”

“Every day thousands of decent, hardworking police officers perform their duties with the utmost professionalism and I am sure they all share my disgust at his despicable betrayal of everything they stand for.”

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the Commons: “I know members from across the House will be as shocked and as appalled as I am about the case of David Carrick.

“The abuse of power is truly sickening and our thoughts are with his victims.

“The police must address the failings in this case, restore public confidence and ensure the safety of women and girls.

“There will be no place to hide for those who use their position to intimidate those women and girls, or those who have failed to act to reprimand or remove those people from office.”

Home Office minister Robert Jenrick has said the Government backs efforts by London Mayor Sadiq Khan to strip serial rapist police officer David Carrick of his pension.

He told Sky News: “The forfeiture of the pension is a matter for the Mayor of London but we support his efforts to remove that pension, if indeed that is what he chooses to do.

“This is one of the most egregious cases of police misconduct in the history of the Met, perhaps in the history of British policing.

“This disgusting individual should not benefit from his years serving in the Metropolitan Police.”