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A serving London police officer has admitted to a court that he carried out a series of attacks on women, including 24 rapes, making him one of Britain's most hardened sex offenders.

The crimes were committed over a period of more than 17 years, Reuters reported.

The Metropolitan Police apologized today and said it should have acted sooner after David Carrick, 48, pleaded guilty to a total of 49 charges relating to 12 victims, including 24 incidents of rape between 2003 and 2020.

London's police force, which went into "special measures" after being rocked by a series of scandals last year, said Carrick abused his position to carry out his disgraceful crimes.

"We have missed the opportunity over the years to identify the perpetrator," Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray told Sky News television, adding: "We really regret the fact that he has continued to work as a police officer."

A woman went to hospital after being brutally raped on a train in front of passengers, no one reacted

"Our drive to identify and rid the Metropolitan Police of corrupt officers is resolute. We are focused on this and will continue to do so in the future," she added.

Commissioner Mark Rowley was appointed chief of London's police force to purge it of corrupt officers.

He promised to fire any employee who was corrupt, who showed racism or otherwise broke the law.

An independent review of London's police force in October said radical reform was needed in the way the police responded to allegations of abuse made against hundreds of officers, Reuters reported.

The preparation of this document was ordered in 2021 after a police officer was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of the British Sarah Everard, the agency recalls.

Great Britain

rape

admission of guilt

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