London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Apr 18, 2026

Revealed: the grim list of sex abuse claims against Metropolitan police

Revealed: the grim list of sex abuse claims against Metropolitan police

The force upheld 119 cases among 600 complaints; they included an officer who was sacked after having sex with a rape victim

An extraordinary catalogue of sexual misconduct allegations against Metropolitan police officers, including claims that one had sex with a rape victim and another assaulted a domestic abuse survivor, are revealed in documents obtained by the Observer.

The disclosures will intensify pressure on the Met after its officers manhandled women at last Saturday’s vigil for Sarah Everard where hundreds demanded the right to be safe on London’s streets.

Organisers of the vigil on Clapham Common subsequently accused the force of losing the faith of women and being unable to tackle its “institutional misogyny”.

Campaigners said the latest revelations amplified concern among women that the police cannot be trusted to protect their safety.

According to the documents, released under freedom of information laws, the rape victim complained that the investigating officer “took advantage of her vulnerability and had sex with her on two occasions”. The officer was subsequently dismissed.

There was a total of 594 complaints against Met employees between 2012 and 2018, of which 119 were upheld. Among those was a Met officer who was dismissed after allegedly pretending to be a woman online “to advance his sexual proclivities and also film a woman apparently having non-consensual sex with a male in a public park”.

Another officer was forced to leave the Met over allegations that he was having a “sexual relationship with a resident in a women’s refuge”, a safe house where victims of domestic violence seek sanctuary.

Other serious cases include an officer who met a woman while on duty and later visited her home where sexual intercourse led to an allegation of rape. He received a verbal warning and management advice, the least severe censure an officer can receive following a misconduct hearing.

“We expect a higher standard from our protectors,” said Nazir Afzal, a former chief crown prosecutor. “The whole point of the police is that they work with the most vulnerable.”

The details, disclosed by the Met after the Observer requested information on complaints regarding sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape against officers, community support officers and special constables, emerged from the 594 complaints against Met employees.

Individual cases are not dated but recorded as a summary of the allegations when the complaint was first received. The outcome of any disciplinary action is also given. Of the 119 cases that were upheld, 63 led to dismissals, retirements or resignations.

What is not disclosed, however, is how many cases entered into the criminal justice system.

“How many were charged with misconduct in a public office or sexual offences? If not then a proper explanation needs to be given. Disciplinary proceedings are no substitute for judicial proceedings,” said Afzal, who was chief crown prosecutor for the north-west of England.

Among those who resigned was an off-duty special constable who was accused of raping women he met at a nightclub. Last week Downing Street unveiled plans to protect women by putting plainclothes officers in nightclubs, a scheme swiftly derided by campaigners with some asking who would protect women from undercover police.

Details of other cases indicate that the actions of some officers undermined the work of domestic violence advocates – individuals who support abuse survivors – stationed in the Met’s community safety units.

One officer was accused of eroding trust by displaying “an arrogance towards female members of staff and a ready willingness to take advantage of his position of trust to engage in unwanted physical contact”. He received a final written warning.

A number of the cases document instances of domestic abuse, with one officer dismissed after being arrested “on suspicion of rape, threats to kill and common assault” against his partner. Another, a special constable, “raped his wife numerous times over eight years of marriage” and was also dismissed.

A separate incident involved an officer who was dismissed after allegedly sending shocking posts on the messaging app Kik. The summary of the initial claims against him reveal that his messages included “comments stating that he wished to rape the females in the picture and have them raped by others. The images appear to be his daughter and niece.”

PC Oliver Banfield admitted a charge of assault by beating and was sentenced at Leicester magistrates’ court on 19 March to a 14-week curfew.


Other sexual misconduct allegations involved officers and children. A significant number of cases involved claims of groping, lewd comments or uploading obscene images, although one officer who had inappropriate images on his phone was also judged to have been acting as “an online sexual predator”.

In the West Midlands meanwhile, an off-duty police officer was convicted of assault by beating on Friday after he had pleaded guilty to attacking a woman who was walking home alone.

PC Oliver Banfield, 25, avoided prison but was instead given a curfew and ordered to pay his victim £500, prompting criticism from the Labour MP Harriet Harman who said that the “system fails women and protects men”.

Separate data confirms that sexual misconduct among officers is a continuing problem. Figures from the Royal College of Policing’s current “barred list” – officers who have been dismissed from a force and are banned from joining another – show that nearly a fifth of offences include abuse of position for sexual purposes, domestic violence or harassment against the public and colleagues.

Of the 555 officers barred since the list was introduced in December 2017, more than 1,100 reasons for dismissal are listed of which more than 200 involve sexual, harassment or domestic abuse offences. Nearly a quarter of the barred officers served in the Met.

A statement from the Metropolitan police said: “While the allegations involve a small percentage of staff, we acknowledge the impact any offence will have on those involved, and will continue to take all allegations of this nature extremely seriously.

“It is clear this type of conduct has no place within the organisation. If standards are proven to have fallen below what is expected, we take appropriate action to ensure both accountability and that lessons are learnt from each case.”

It added that incidents were investigated by its directorate of professional standards with referrals to the police watchdog where “appropriate”.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Meghan Markle Plans Exclusive Women-Focused Retreat During Australia Visit
Starmer and Trump Hold Strategic Talks on Securing Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Unofficial Australia Visit by Prince Harry and Meghan Expected to Stir Tensions with Royal Circles
Pipeline Attack Cuts Significant Share of Saudi Arabia’s Oil Export Capacity
UK Stocks Rise on Ceasefire Momentum and Renewed Focus on Diplomacy
UK to Hold Further Strategic Talks on Strait of Hormuz Security
Starmer Voices Frustration as Global Tensions Drive Up UK Energy Costs
UK Students Voice Concern Over Proposal for Automatic Military Draft Registration
Rising Volatility Drives Uncertainty in UK Fuel and Petrol Prices
UK Moves to Deploy ‘Skyhammer’ Anti-Drone System to Strengthen Airspace Defense
New Analysis Explores UK Budget Mechanics in ‘Behind the Blue’ Feature
Man Arrested After Four Die in Channel Crossing Tragedy
UK Tightens Immigration Framework with New Sponsor Rules and Fee Increases
UK Foreign Secretary Highlights Impact of Intensified Strikes in Lebanon
UK Urges Inclusion of Lebanon in US-Iran Ceasefire Framework
UK Stocks Ease as Ceasefire Doubts in Middle East Weigh on Investor Confidence
UK Reassesses Cloud Strategy Amid Criticism Over Limited Support Measures
UK Calls for Full and Toll-Free Access Through Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Starmer Signals Strategic Shift for Britain Amid Escalating Iran-Linked Tensions
UK Issues Firm Warning to Russia Over Covert Underwater Military Activity
OpenAI Halts Stargate UK Project, Casting Uncertainty Over Britain’s AI Expansion Plans
Starmer Voices Frustration Over Global Pressures Driving UK Energy Costs Higher
UK Deploys Military Assets to Protect Undersea Cables From Suspected Russian Threat
Canada Aligns With US, UK and Australia as Europe Prepares Major Digital Border Overhaul
Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance Sparks Fresh Speculation
Starmer Warns Sustained Effort Needed to Ensure US–Iran Ceasefire Holds
UK to Partner with Shipping Industry to Rebuild Confidence in Strait of Hormuz, Cooper Says
UK Interest Rate Expectations Ease Following US–Iran Ceasefire Agreement
Starmer Signals Major Effort Needed to Fully Reopen Strait of Hormuz During Gulf Visit
UK Fuel Prices Face Ongoing Volatility Amid Global Pressures and Domestic Factors
Kanye West’s Planned Italy Festival Appearance Draws Debate After UK Entry Ban
Smuggling Routes Shift Toward Belgium as Migrant Crossings to UK Evolve
Ceasefire Offers Potential Relief for UK Fuel and Food Prices Amid Ongoing Uncertainty
Iran Conflict Raises Questions Over UK’s Global Influence and Military Preparedness
Senator McConnell Visits Kentucky to Highlight Federal Investment in Local Projects
Kanye West Barred from Entering UK as Legal Grounds Come into Focus
UK Denies Visa to Kanye West After Sponsors Withdraw from Wireless Festival
Trump-Era Forest Service Restructuring Leads to Closure of UK Lab Focused on Kentucky Woodland Health
Foreign Students in the UK Describe Harsh Living Conditions and Financial Pressures
Reform UK Proposes Visa Restrictions on Nations Pursuing Reparations Claims
Public Reaction Divides Over UK Decision to Bar Kanye West
Calls Grow for UK to Review US Base Access Following Concerns Over Escalating Rhetoric
UK Indicates It Will Not Permit Use of Its Bases for Potential US Strikes on Iran’s Energy Infrastructure
UK Prime Minister Defends Decision to Bar Kanye West, Questions Festival Booking
UK Accelerates Efforts to Harmonise Medical Technology Rules with United States
Wireless Festival Cancelled After Kanye West Denied Entry to the United Kingdom
Australia’s most decorated living soldier was arrested at Sydney Airport and charged with five counts of war-crime murder for the killing of unarmed Afghan civilians
The CIA’s Secret Technology That Can Find You by Your Heartbeat Successfully Locates Downed Airman
Operation Europe: Trump Deploys Vance to Hungary to Save the EU
King Charles Faces Criticism From Some UK Christians Over Absence of Easter Message
×