The short version
- Former detective Linda Williams has settled a civil lawsuit against the Metropolitan Police for an undisclosed six-figure sum regarding its handling of her 2004 rape by officer David Carrick.
- Williams attributes ninety percent of her post-traumatic stress to the force's lack of empathy and failure to protect her, calling for Commissioner Mark Rowley to resign.
- The Met acknowledges serious flaws in past investigations that allowed Carrick to continue offending, while maintaining it sought to minimize distress during legal proceedings.
A former Metropolitan Police detective who was raped by a fellow officer has called for the resignation of the force’s commissioner, citing institutional failures that she says compounded her trauma. Linda Williams, sixty, waived her right to anonymity to settle a civil lawsuit against the Met for an undisclosed six-figure sum. The case centers on the force’s failure to protect her from David Carrick, a former armed officer who has since been convicted of dozens of sexual offenses.
Williams was attacked by Carrick in 2004 but did not report the crime until 2021. She launched legal action against the Met, arguing that the force failed to safeguard her and created an environment where reporting the assault felt impossible. The settlement was reached without the police admitting liability. Williams described the legal process as devastating, stating it drove her to contemplate suicide and recreated the feelings of powerlessness she experienced during the original attack.
The former detective argued that the Metropolitan Police’s handling of her case caused significantly more harm than the rape itself. She estimated that ninety percent of her post-traumatic stress disorder stems from the institution’s response, with only ten percent attributable to Carrick’s actions. Williams noted that despite her background as a sexual offenses officer who previously supported victims, she felt entirely unsupported by her colleagues and superiors during her own ordeal.
During the civil proceedings, the Met’s legal team challenged the severity of Williams’ PTSD diagnosis. They pointed to her continued professional performance after the 2004 attack as evidence that she had not suffered significant psychological trauma. Williams rejected this characterization, explaining that her ability to function at work did not negate the deep scars left by the assault and the subsequent institutional betrayal. She viewed the defense strategy as a direct reflection of Commissioner Mark Rowley’s stance, given his role as the defendant in the case.
Williams has urged for systemic changes within the Metropolitan Police, including the creation of a unit overseen by victims to ensure better support for survivors. She believes such reforms are impossible under current leadership and insists that Rowley must step down to allow for necessary cultural shifts. Williams described the force’s culture as stagnant, comparing it to a fictionalized depiction of 1970s policing, and expressed doubt that anything would have been done about Carrick even if she had reported the crime immediately.
The personal toll on Williams has been severe. She stated that she has not had any relationships since the attack twenty-two years ago, citing an inability to trust men or allow anyone into her home. This isolation has affected her social life and holidays, leaving her feeling lonely during times when others gather with family and friends. While she acknowledged that her current lifestyle is a choice, she emphasized that the circumstances forcing that choice were not of her own making.
David Carrick, now fifty-one, is serving thirty-seven life sentences for attacking more than a dozen women. In 2022 and 2023, he pleaded guilty to seventy-one sexual offenses, including forty-eight rapes committed against twelve women over seventeen years. Additionally, he was convicted last November of molesting a child in the late 1980s and repeatedly abusing a female ex-partner. His case highlights long-standing failures in identifying and removing predatory officers from active duty.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police acknowledged serious flaws in how investigations were conducted at the time, admitting that these errors prevented them from spotting Carrick’s pattern of abusive behavior. The force expressed regret for missing opportunities to pursue misconduct charges against him earlier. They recognized the unique impact on Williams due to her status as a Met officer and praised her commitment to public service despite the trauma.
The Met stated that it aimed to handle Williams’ claims quickly and compassionately to reduce further distress during legal proceedings. The commissioner has previously met with Williams in person and communicated via email, acknowledging her courage in speaking out. He has recently contacted her to request another meeting to discuss these issues further. Williams remains critical of the force’s culture, asserting that little has changed since her initial attack.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- The Guardian World↗Detective raped by fellow officer David Carrick calls on Met chief to resign
