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Met Police chief urged to explain why hundreds of officers' accused of sexual misconduct have been spared disciplinary action

Only one in every 18 Met officers accused of sexual offences is subject to formal action

CAMPAIGNERS are demanding that Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick address shocking reports that hundreds of officers accused of sexual assault have been spared disciplinary action. 

Only one in every 18 Met officers accused of sexual offences is subject to formal action, according to an investigation by the Independent. 

Forty-three officers out of 562 accused of sexual assault between 2012 and June 2 2018 subsequently faced proceedings. Of those, 31 had formal action taken against them. The remaining 12 received only informal “management action” notices, while 85 cases are still pending. 

The accusations came from 313 members of the public and 249 fellow police officers. 

The figures, obtained through freedom of information requests, also suggest that the number of police accused of sexual assault is increasing, jumping 65 per cent between 2012 and 2017.

End Violence Against Women Coalition co-director Rachel Krys said that this was likely to be the “tip of the iceberg” due to under-reporting of sexual violence allegations, especially against police officers. 

“How can women, who are the victims of most sexual assaults, feel safe seeking protection or justice from a police force with such terrible levels of complaints against its own officers?” she asked. 

“We need an urgent statement from the Metropolitan Police commissioner setting out her response to these findings and what will be done to address them and the mayor should hold her to account and ensure action is taken.”

Responding to the figures, a Met police spokesperson said that sexual misconduct was a “priority” for the service and that all complaints were thoroughly investigated.

“This priority has been extensively publicised within the service and we have actively encouraged victims to come forward,” the spokesperson said. “This has mirrored a wider awareness of these issues across society and helps to explain why complaints may have increased.”

The figures emerged as the Met announced that it was investigating three-year-old allegations that a serving officer had raped two of his colleagues. 

The unnamed officer still remains in his post despite being subject to a misconduct hearing and was not charged or suspended following the allegations in 2017, an investigation by the BBC and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism has found. 

Both women were former partners of the officer and were awarded compensation last year. They accused him of rape and physical abuse.  

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