A serving Metropolitan Police detective who was raped in 2004 by fellow officer David Carrick has waived her legal right to anonymity and called for Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to resign^1,2.

Det Con Linda Williams told the BBC that Scotland Yard's handling of her later civil claim felt like being attacked again and that she does not trust the force to deal with rape reports^1,2.

Carrick, then a constable, attacked her while she was on a three-month attachment with him in south London, the BBC reported¹. She did not tell anyone at the time, saying she believed reporting it would have ended her career and that Carrick would not have been charged¹. Hertfordshire Police investigated after she came forward in 2021, following news that Carrick had been charged with raping another woman¹.

Carrick was jailed for life in 2023 for sexual offences against Williams and 11 other women¹.

Williams sought damages on the basis the Met failed to protect her and that she felt unable to report the rape¹. She said the four-year civil case left her suicidal and that lawyers acting for the commissioner challenged the severity of her post-traumatic stress disorder because she had been raped once¹. The BBC said it had seen a Met document stating that a key factor in assessing damages was that the abuse was isolated to a single episode¹. The force has now paid her compensation without accepting liability¹.

A Met spokesperson told the BBC the force had tried to reduce further distress and to deal with her claims quickly and compassionately, and recognised the additional impact because her exposure to Carrick came through her work as a Met officer¹.

Williams said Rowley met her after she emailed him and apologised, but she found the apology lacking¹. She told the BBC: "I would like him to resign. I don't think he's fit for the job"¹. The Met said the commissioner has acknowledged her courage in speaking out and has asked whether she would meet again¹.

Williams said she would not report a rape to the Met today and that culture had not changed enough for victims of sexual offences¹. What remains unknown is whether Rowley will stay in post and whether any further review of how the force litigates claims by officer-victims will follow^1,3,4.

Sources

1. BBCDetective raped by colleague says Met handling of case 'like being raped again'Oct 23, 1:00 AM
2. BBCWatch: Met chief Rowley not fit for job, says detective raped by colleagueOct 23, 1:00 AM
3. The GuardianDetective raped by fellow officer David Carrick calls on Met chief to resignOct 23, 5:56 AM
4. Sky News UKPolice officer raped by David Carrick waives anonymity and says Met chief must resignOct 23, 3:52 AM

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