David Carrick, known to his colleagues as "Bastard Dave", has been jailed for at least 30 years after he admitted 49 charges, including 24 counts of rape, making him one of Britain's most prolific sex offenders.
Tuesday 7 February 2023 15:44, UK
Sky News' live coverage of the sentencing of serial rapist police officer David Carrick has ended after he was jailed for at least 30 years.
You can scroll down to read through the sentencing as it happened and see all the reaction.
If you toggle to "oldest" above, you can read the court hearing from start to finish.
The head of the Metropolitan Police has admitted the force has "let down women" after the jailing of rapist officer David Carrick.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: "David Carrick's crimes were unspeakably evil. The detail is harrowing.
"He subjected these victims and survivors to the most degrading and inhumane treatment and yet they still showed the courage to come forward and to provide the evidence that led to his conviction.
"He exploited his position as a police officer in the most disgusting way.
"He should not have been a police officer."
The senior officer added: "We weren't rigorous enough in our approach and as a result we missed opportunities to identify the warning signs over decades.
"I want to again reiterate my apology on behalf of the Met. We are truly sorry."
Sir Mark said the Carrick case and other recent scandals at the Met meant "there are women whose trust in the police is profoundly shaken".
"We have let down women across London but we are more determined than ever to put it right," he added.
"Lifting the stone and confronting what we find beneath, will result in more difficult cases coming to light."
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it hoped victims of sexual offences would be encouraged to come forward after seeing "prolific abuser" David Carrick jailed.
Peter Burt, from the CPS, said Carrick's victims had to "overcome the mental and physical oppression they endured" which "may have felt insurmountable at times".
"We’ve heard the accounts of the women who suffered at Carrick’s hands," he said.
"He took away their control, their right to choose, their freedom - in some cases both physically and mentally.
"We cannot undo the pain and anguish of what they have endured, but I hope they can take this as a first step to rebuilding their lives knowing he can't harm them - or any other woman."
Mr Burt said the CPS knows victims of rape and other sex offences "may be worried about being believed or whether you’ll ever see justice done".
He added: "We hope seeing Carrick, a prolific abuser, manipulator and rapist, behind bars will encourage other women to come forward, knowing we will do all we can to hold the person responsible to account for their crime."
A senior officer at Hertfordshire Police - which investigated David Carrick - says he is "extremely relieved" that a "serious and prolific sex offender is now going to be behind bars for a very long time".
Detective Inspector Iain Moor praised the bravery of victims "who were prepared to relive their ordeals and face him in court".
He said the force has set up a "special reporting portal" to allow people to continue to share information about Carrick.
“If anyone else thinks they have been a victim, we still want to hear from you and we will support you," he added.
“As a serving police officer he has brought shame on the profession and was not fit to wear the uniform."
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has praised the "bravery and courage" of the victims of David Carrick.
"By coming forward they have helped to protect the public and rid the Met Police of a dangerous and prolific offender who abused his position as a police officer in the worst possible way," he says.
"This should never have been allowed to happen and must never happen again.
"There can be no hiding place for those who abuse their position of trust and authority within the police."
Mr Khan said he would "hold the Met to account to ensure we root out all those who are unfit to serve as police officers".
Suella Braverman has released a statement after police officer David Carrick was sentenced to at least 30 years in prison for dozens of sex crimes.
The home secretary says: "The crimes of David Carrick are a scar on our police, and it is only right that he now faces at least 30 years behind bars.
"I pay tribute to the brave women who have come forward to hold him to account for his vile abuse.
"It is vital we uncover how he was able to wear the uniform for so long... there is no place in our police for such heinous and predatory behaviour."
Sky News' crime correspondent Martin Brunt outside court
Protesters are still outside the court, where they have been since 9am. They are making their voices heard about the issue of male violence and holding the case of David Carrick up as a shining example of how men can go undetected when they are committing crimes against women.
They are holding this case up as an example of someone who was allowed to commit many terrible crimes even though some of those offences were reported.
There was a gathering of intelligence around this man, who was a police officer and a man who was, as the judge said, empowered to hold up the law.
In spite of all that he was allowed to continue for more than 20 years serving as a police officer.
The David Carrick case has shone a spotlight on the Met Police and the reforms needed, Sky News' crime correspondent Martin Brunt has said from outside court.
He says that within the Met there is a determination to change things, though it is not the first time we have heard this.
After the abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Met officer, much the same concern was expressed by the Met Police and it is perhaps sometimes difficult to see what exactly has changed, Brunt says.
Carrick's offences go back many years to 2002, the first year he served as a Met officer.
The new commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has said we can expect to see two or three police officers in court every week but even he doesn't know the extent of the bad behaviour and criminal activity that he might uncover within the force.
Sir Mark has made it clear a number of times that there are several hundred officers within the ranks of the Met Police that he would gladly get rid of if he could, Brunt says.
Speaking outside the court after David Carrick was jailed for at least 30 years, Sky News' crime correspondent Martin Brunt is analysing the judge's remarks.
Brunt says some had expected the sentence to be higher, perhaps 35 years.
Carrick got a 20% reduction in his term for his guilty pleas.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb spoke of his shame, Brunt says, rather than his remorse, and didn't pull any punches.
The main theme of her sentencing remarks was that Carrick abused his power to rape and sexually assault his victims.
The judge was calm and collected as you would expect, Brunt says, but behind that we could read that she had a lot of sympathy for the victims.
She spoke of Carrick's malign influence and how it stood in the way of the "revolution of women's dignity".
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