David Carrick, a former police officer who confessed to sexually assaulting 12 women, has been stripped of his full state-funded pension, according to London’s mayor. Carrick, 49, served in the Metropolitan Police before being jailed in 2020. His sentence, which was handed down in February, requires him to serve a thirty-year minimum term. The former police officer’s conviction constituted 49 offenses, including 24 counts of rape. Carrick was dismissed from the force as a result of his conviction.
Mayor Sadiq Khan has revealed that Carrick will lose 65% of his pension. This represents the maximum reduction that is permitted by law. “David Carrick blatantly abused his position of trust as a police officer to carry out his appalling crimes,” Mr Khan stated. “I have been very clear that steps should be taken to remove the employer contributions of his Met Police pension.”
The forfeiture of Carrick’s pension has occurred in accordance with Home Office guidance and relevant case law. The rules state that only the contributions made by police officers to their pensions can be forfeited, and not the contributions made by the police force. A conviction connected to service as a police officer is a requirement for forfeiture under this scheme. Furthermore, the offence must be certified as “liable to lead to a serious loss of confidence in the publics service” or “gravely injurious to the interests of the state.”
Sophie Linden, Mr Khan’s deputy mayor for policing and crime, confirmed that Carrick’s pension forfeiture represents a suitable response to his actions. “It is absolutely right we have taken every step we can as quickly as we can,” she said. “He didn’t deserve to wear the uniform of an officer, he doesn’t deserve the pension of an officer.”
Carrick began his career with the Met in 2001 before eventually moving up to the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection unit. His crimes came to light following sustained reporting by victims and the police. The Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Met, Stuart Cundy, apologised recently to Carrick’s victims for the harm they had suffered. He also expressed support for the pension forfeiture decision, saying: “Offending of such an appalling nature must have wide reaching consequences and it is right that the decision has been taken to subject Carrick to the maximum pension forfeiture allowed in law”
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