Metropolitan Police officer appears in court on rape charge

A serving Metropolitan police officer has appeared in court charged with raping a woman.

David Carrick, 46, appeared via video link at St Albans Magistrates court for the short hearing.

He spoke to give his name, address in Stevenage and his date of birth as the charge was put before him.

It is alleged the officer raped a woman in St Albans after meeting her on a dating website on 4 September last year.

The officer is attached to Scotland Yard’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command.

This is the same unit PC Wayne Couzens served in before he was convicted of the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard in March.

The incident is not related in any way to the crimes committed by Wayne Couzens.

But the news of another serious allegation against the same Met police command unit, promoted Scotland Yard Commissioner Cressida Dick to release a statement.

She said: “I am deeply concerned to hear the news today that an officer from the Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command has been arrested and now charged with this serious offence. I fully recognise the public will be very concerned too.”

She added: “Criminal proceedings must now take their course so I am unable to comment any further at this stage.”

The court was told that the accused had told his alleged victim he was an authorised firearms officer, who guarded individuals including the Prime Minister.

It is claimed he also showed the woman his warrant card.

The court was told that the alleged victim came forward to report the rape last Friday, after seeing the publicity surrounding the sentencing of Wayne Couzens last week.

PC Carrick was denied bail and remanded back into custody.

He will appear before St Albans Crown Crown Court on 1 November.