Police Officers Investigated for Rape Since Sarah Everard Murder Revealed
A Sky News investigation has uncovered that dozens of serving police officers across England and Wales have been investigated for rape in the five years since the murder of Sarah Everard. The findings reveal ongoing concerns about sexual misconduct within police forces and the impact on public trust.
Widespread Investigations Across Forces
Seventeen out of forty-three police forces responded to Freedom of Information requests, representing forty percent of all forces. All seventeen confirmed launching criminal inquiries for sexual offences involving officers, while sixteen had initiated rape allegations investigations. Six forces disclosed they had brought rape charges, and fifteen confirmed charges for sexual offences over the past five years.
Helen Millichap, deputy assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan Police and national police lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, stated: "It's an incredibly awful truth that we have abusers and perpetrators inside our organisation." She emphasized this issue could be "one of the biggest factors preventing women and girls coming forward to report crimes to us" due to fears about trust in police responses.
Officers Working Unrestricted During Probes
The investigation found evidence of officers continuing normal duties without suspension or restricted responsibilities during sexual abuse allegations investigations. At the Metropolitan Police, more than a quarter (twenty-eight percent) of officers worked unrestricted while under investigation for sexual misconduct between 2021 and 2025.
The force has conducted a higher rate of sexual misconduct investigations since 2021, driven by increased scrutiny and re-vetting initiatives. Sexual misconduct represents an internal investigation that can lead to criminal proceedings, with those facing gross misconduct allegations potentially suspended.
Sir Mark Rowley, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, told Sky News: "People should be reassured… if there's a criminal allegation of sexual or domestic violence in nature, the starting presumption is an officer is going to be suspended." He noted the Met has removed 1,500 people in three years, calling this "completely unprecedented" while acknowledging ongoing work remains.
National Conversation on Women's Safety
The murder of Sarah Everard by serving off-duty police officer Wayne Couzens in March 2021 ignited a national conversation about women's safety and police trust. At a Balham event with sixty women, attendees expressed concerns about nighttime safety.
Grace Piette stated: "Women are coming together collectively to say, it's not right that we're not safe in the evenings." Charleen Michael shared sending her eleven-year-old daughter to kickboxing three times weekly due to safety fears, saying: "You cannot trust anyone, you cannot trust men."
A YouGov poll for Sky News found sixty-eight percent of women feel unsafe walking home alone at night. Thirty-nine percent take regular protective steps against sexual assault, while forty percent take none.
Personal Accounts of Vulnerability
In video diaries recorded for Sky News, women nationwide described their experiences. Lucy Wing from London recounted being catcalled with rape threats while returning from a gig. Ruby Saunders from the Wirral described constant "low-level alertness" at night, holding keys and checking surroundings. Alice removes headphones after bus rides for better awareness, while Abby from Birmingham avoids late-night socializing, gym visits, and shopping.
Investigating Indecent Exposure
The Angiolini Inquiry, examining Sarah Everard's death and police missed opportunities regarding Wayne Couzens' prior offending, called for "more thorough and committed investigations" into indecent exposure. Couzens admitted to sex offences before the murder, including indecent exposure days before killing Everard.
Sky News obtained data from twenty-five forces showing the share of indecent exposure investigations with no identified suspect dropped from forty-seven percent in 2019 to thirty-three percent in 2025. Positive outcomes including charges and cautions increased from ten to fourteen percent over this period.
Since 2021, police inspectorate integrity inspections have focused on vetting, counter-corruption, and professional standards. Only five forces received "good" vetting ratings since 2022, while nine of eleven inspected since 2025 were told their professional standards "require improvement."
Disciplinary Disparities and Systemic Issues
Baroness Casey's 2023 review of Metropolitan Police standards and culture declared the misconduct system "not fit for purpose," noting difficulty sanctioning officers who would face dismissal elsewhere. Sky News analysis found police staff remain more likely than officers to face disciplinary action for sexual offences, though the gap has narrowed since 2023.
Ninety percent of staff with sexual misconduct cases were referred to proceedings in the year to March 2025, compared to eighty-five percent of police officers.
Government Reforms and Accountability
The findings emerge amid scrutiny of powerful individuals and institutions regarding attitudes toward women and girls, including investigations into Jeffrey Epstein documents by nine UK police forces. Sir Mark Rowley emphasized pursuing sexual offenders "regardless of your power, regardless of position," stating: "I think it sends the right message that no one is really above the law."
Jess Phillips, minister for violence against women and girls, announced government reforms this summer will "tighten rules requiring police forces to suspend officers under investigation for crimes such as domestic abuse or sexual offences." She described this as part of a wider police misconduct system overhaul, with ministers aiming to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.
