Met Police have faced 622 sex claims – but just five officers have been axed

Fewer than 2% of sex offence allegations involving Met Police officers since 2010 have resulted in sackings, arrests or charges.

Some 622 claims against Met staff – 97% of them serving officers – have been made.

New Freedom of Information figures obtained by the Sunday Mirror come two days after PC Wayne Couzens, a married father of two, admitted raping and murdering Sarah Everard after a 12-hour Met shift.

Most claims – 60% – were deemed as having “no case to answer”.

This year, 16 cops and two members of police staff have faced sexual allegations, but only two were suspended or restricted from duty.

A total of 46 faced allegations last year but none have yet received formal action – and of 48 who faced claims in 2019, just three cases saw formal action.

Since 2010, there has also been a huge drop in alleged sex offences by Met cops being referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

While the average tally of allegations since 2010 is 52 a year, referrals dropped from 47% in 2010 to 44% in 2011, 15% last year and 6% so far this year.

Of the 606 allegations against officers, 436 involved constables and 49 were sergeant or above.

Since 2010, only five officers have been dismissed. Three got a final written warning and two a written warning.

Couzens was linked to three sex crimes before targeting marketing manager Sarah, 33.

Susannah Fish, former chief constable of Nottinghamshire Police, said she felt “utterly despondent” by the figures.

Under Ms Fish’s leadership, Nottinghamshire Police was the first force to record misogyny as a hate crime in 2016.

She told the Sunday Mirror: “It doesn’t surprise me that allegations are not taken seriously, I feel utterly despondent – and with Couzens’ history not being properly investigated, he has gone on to commit appalling crimes.

“These figures absolutely show that allegations are not being taken seriously and that violence against women is legitimised in the police force, whether that’s against a colleague or a member of the public.

“The culture of police forces minimises the seriousness of these offences, and we also know very few women speak out – and these statistics show that they are dismissed even when they do.”

Harriet Wistrich, solicitor and director of Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ), said the statistics are “shocking” and that the Met had to “create a culture of zero tolerance”.

She added: “The statistics are astounding particularly in the wake of news that Couzens has been reported for previous offences of indecent assault whilst a serving police officer.

“The Met must as a matter of urgency do something to address these appalling figures.”

CWJ solicitor Nogah Ofer said the figures show a “culture of impunity” in the police force.

She added: “We are also aware of cases where female police officers who have reported sexual assaults by male colleagues have themselves faced misconduct investigations for alleged ‘false allegations’ and other charges. Again it seems that forces are most interested in protecting accused male officers. Public trust in the police is deeply undermined if forces tolerate abusers within their ranks. ”

The Met, which employs 40,000, said last night: “There is no place for behaviour of this nature within the organisation.

“Where standards are proven to have fallen below what is expected, we take action to ensure both accountability and that lessons are learned. Where officers are convicted of a crime, they also face internal misconduct proceedings.

“Matters such as these are investigated by the Directorate of Professional Standards with referrals to the Independent Office for Police Conduct as appropriate, which may independently investigate the allegations.”

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