Former Met Police officer David Carrick charged with rape and indecent assault

Hertfordshire Police have also charged the 49-year-old with one count of coercive and controlling behaviour.

Detective Chief Inspector Iain Moor, who led the investigation, added: "The charges come in the wake of an extensive and complex investigation conducted over a period of several months."

He will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on October 17.

Lisa Ramsarran, chief crown prosecutor for the CPS in Thames and Chiltern, said: "The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised Hertfordshire Constabulary to charge David Carrick with sexual offences against two women.

"David Carrick has been charged with five counts of indecent assault, two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.

"He has also been charged with one count of coercive and controlling behaviour."

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Carrick joined the Met in 2001 and became an armed officer with the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command eight years later.

He was jailed for life in February 2023 after being unmasked as one of the UK’s worst sex offenders.

The 49-year-old was finally brought to justice after nearly 20 years of offending after a victim came forward after she heard a victim impact statement made by the mother of Sarah Everard, who was raped and murdered by another Metropolitan Police officer, Wayne Couzens.

Everard paid tribute to her "precious little girl" in court and slammed her killer who "masqueraded as a policeman in order to get what he wanted".

The woman said the mother's words "echoed" with her, and gave her the courage to tell police what Carrick - who served in the same unit as Couzens - had done to her.

Last month, it was announced that four Metropolitan Police officers and a member of staff are facing disciplinary proceedings over their alleged failures to take action against Carrick.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct regional director Mel Palmer said: "Our thoughts continue to be with all of the women who were victims of this serial predator.

"Our investigations into alleged failures to investigate reports made against David Carrick were comprehensive and identified several missed opportunities to pursue misconduct investigations against him.

"In all cases we identified that officers failed to properly explore, investigate or oversee the misconduct investigations against Carrick, who never faced any disciplinary proceedings despite being the subject of serious criminal allegations on multiple occasions.

"Had these matters been progressed appropriately, Carrick may have potentially faced gross misconduct proceedings and been dismissed from the force well before he was eventually arrested.

"Four officers and a member of police staff will now face disciplinary proceedings, including one officer who will face a gross misconduct hearing, while two more former officers would have faced disciplinary meetings had they not retired from the force."