Carrick driven home by officer after rape arrest

A Metropolitan Police officer gave serial rapist David Carrick - a former armed officer with the Met - a lift home from a police station after his arrest on suspicion of rape, a tribunal has heard.

Carrick, 51, is one of the UK's most prolific sex offenders. In 2023, he was given 36 life sentences for attacks on more than a dozen women.

In July 2021, he was arrested after a woman reported that he had raped her multiple times during their five-month relationship.

On Wednesday, a misconduct hearing was told Det Sgt Ray Mackennon had shown Carrick "preferential treatment" when he drove him back to his home in Stevenage following his arrest.

Mackennon, who at the time was a detective constable within the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS), said he went to Stevenage police station on 17 July 2021 "to get a more accurate sense of the investigation" into the allegations.

The hearing was told Mackennon also drove Carrick's welfare officer back to Carrick's home.

Mackennon said the welfare officer had arrived late due to limited public transport and did not have a car.

"My concern was that a welfare officer was not at Stevenage, no transport – all I wanted to do was to get him (Carrick) home, get him to an address to return back to Stevenage police station (later)," he told the hearing.

Kevin Saunders, representing the Met, replied: "There was absolutely no need for you to give Carrick a lift home because his welfare officer was there.

"The reality is, they could have made their own way back to David Carrick's house, but this was an example of you showing preferential treatment to David Carrick over the complainant at a very early stage. Do you agree with that?"

Mackennon responded: "Of course not."

When asked what was said in the car, Mackennon said: "Nothing – we spoke generally, about where he worked."

The tribunal also heard that, after returning to Stevenage police station, Mackennon discussed the case with Hertfordshire Constabulary officers, who reportedly told him that "without corroborating evidence" the allegation would likely be "NFA'd" – no further action.

Mackennon denied ever questioning the complainant's credibility.

If proven, the allegations could amount to gross misconduct and lead to his dismissal.

The misconduct hearing is due to resume on Thursday.

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